


Azimuth

by Kirixchi



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Adventure, Aesir, F/M, Joutuun, Wolves, path between worlds, vanir
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:01:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 51,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23617930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kirixchi/pseuds/Kirixchi
Summary: Loki travels the paths between worlds in search of a powerful artifact which may save Thor's life and make Loki the most powerful sorcerer that Asgard has ever known. Pre-Movie, Loki/Sigyn. Complete.
Relationships: Loki/Angrboda, Loki/Sigyn
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	1. A Message

**Author's Note:**

> This story was written in 2011. I am porting the Chapters over from ff.net Considering a sequel (probably more of a romance/less of an adventure) if there is any interest. Let me know in the comments.

Every year, on the last day of Summer, Odin held a tournament to commemorate the end of the great war.

Every year since they had become men, Thor and Loki faced each other in the finals.

Every year, after a brief period of parrying back and forth, Thor raised his hammer in victory.

Every year- except for this one.

The day began as usual. Allfather opened the games with a recitation of the deeds at the last battle of Jotunheim. The Giants, the Dwarves, the Dark Elves and the rest of Odin's subject realms presented tributes at the Great God's feet. Trumpets sounded, and the matches progressed. Things went more or less as expected. Hours passed. Finally, the two princes faced one another in a ring of sand.

Loki had fought his brother often enough to predict what he would do. Thor charged forward, and Loki dodged. Thor's great hammer, Mjolnir, swung sideways, and Loki ducked. Thor jabbed with his sword and Loki took two steps back. After long years of practice, the battle between brothers was like a choreographed dance. Against any other partner, Loki would need only to bide his time until exhaustion wore down his foe. With Thor, it was different. The simple act of evading the hammer and blade would tire Loki long before his brother weakened, and the few blows that Loki managed to land glanced harmlessly off of his brother's armor. Most years, Loki's tactics earned him nothing more than a long, slow defeat.

It was time that he tried something new.

Loki sidestepped a swing of Mjolnir and lifted his sword. As usual, Thor spun away. Swinging his arm in a wide circle, Thor built speed. His biceps flexed and bulged in the split-second of anticipation before his hammer collided with Loki's shield- but this time, something unexpected happened. There was no clash or clang. The hammer didn't stop. It continued forward, slicing through nothing more than empty air as the figure of Loki disintegrated into sparkling dust.

It happened too quickly for Thor to compensate. The momentum of the hammer continued forward, dragging him off balance. His feet tangled together and he toppled to the ground, losing his grip on the hammer as his hands moved instinctively to brace his fall.

A gasp went up from the crowd.

As soon as he landed, Thor lifted his hand, starting to call Mjolnir back to his grasp, but he was too late. Loki seized his opening. He rematerialized out of the shadows, lunged forward, and laid his steel across his brother's throat.

Thor's hands stilled. He looked up, his blue eyes wide with confusion and shock.

_I've won!_

A bubble of pure happiness welled up in the center of Loki's chest when he realized that his plan had worked. The feeling began spreading outward, and the edges of his lips twitched with the urge to smile. He resisted the impulse. Thor's gloating had always been unseemly. Loki was determined to be more dignified.

Still, his green eyes were sparkling with triumph as he turned toward the king.

That was when Loki noticed something was wrong. It was the sound- or rather, the _lack_ of sound- that he noted first. The crowded arena was blanketed in absolute silence. The spectators all seemed to be holding their breath. Glancing up at the stands, Loki could see that their faces wore the same expression as Thor. They were stunned.

"Father?" Loki said uncertainly. He dropped his sword and took a step toward the royal box. Odin's face bore not hint of the pride or approval that Loki sought.

"I….won?"

Loki hadn't intended for the last word to be a question, but the euphoria of a moment earlier had evaporated. It was replaced by a chill of dread.

"Thor fell."

The Allfather's lips flattened into a grim line. Odin looked between his sons, and shook his head. "The use of magic is _not_ permitted in the games."

The crowd came to life again at the words. An excited buzzing filled the stadium as the crowd enthusiastically concurred with their king.

" _Forbidden!…Dirty trick!...cheated!"_ Snippets of conversations carried down to the arena floor.

Loki's cheeks flushed with anger.

"Forbidden?" he hissed up at his father. "When was that rule enacted?"

The regulations of the arena were few: never strike a disabled opponent, no blows to the head or groin, never land an intentionally mortal blow, and honor a surrender. The Asgardians were a hearty lot and, with those few exceptions, anything would go. Loki was certain that he would have remembered a rule against magic. Granted, the tactic was uncommon, but it wasn't his fault that the warriors were too stupid and talentless to employ sorcery! Besides, Thor's hammer was magic! The armor that they wore was charmed to deflect damage! Spells were nearly always employed in battle. If the fighters didn't want to practice against magic, how could they prepare to face the Frost Giants with their enchanted swords and axes of ice?

Loki opened his mouth to voice his protest, but Odin silenced him with an upraised hand.

"Return to the palace," he said sharply.

Loki flung his sword in the sand, and then spun on his heel to go. He stalked toward the exit, but hadn't managed to slip away before he heard Odin's voice behind him.

"The match is over," the King announced. "Prince Loki has committed a forfeit. I declare that the winner is Thor."

* * *

"Will you come down to the banquet?"

Loki tried to force a smile for his mother's sake, but firmly shook his head. The queen had not attended the games, but she rushed to Loki's chamber as soon as she was informed of the results.

Loki wanted to be alone, but Frigga had either missed or ignored his heavy hints to that effect. He could simply tell her to leave, but Loki couldn't bring himself to be blatant or cruel where his mother was concerned. He was certain that she meant well as she cooed and petted, trying to soothe away the humiliation and betrayal that Loki felt in the same way that she had once nursed his cuts and bruises as a child.

Though he was loathe to admit it, Loki needed the attention now. His wounded heart drank in Frigga's maternal coddling like raindrops on parched soil. She had never made Loki feel less worthy than Thor. She had never shamed him or shunned him or pushed him away. She had never forced him to win her favor. She _did_ love him, though. He could feel the emotion in every reassuring hug and worried glance, and it shamed him that Frigga's affections were not enough. Perhaps she offered her regard too freely, and that had cheapened its worth, for he would trade all of her kisses and tears for a single glance of approval from Odin's eyes.

"I'm tired, mother," Loki said gently. "I don't think I can face a banquet tonight."

He felt a rush of relief when she didn't argue.

"Very well, dear one," the queen said. "You _are_ looking a little pale- and so _thin!_ I'll send a tray up with your supper."

"Yes, mother."

Loki submitted to a fretful glance and a kiss on the cheek. Then, mercifully, Frigga left.

Loki waited until the queen's footsteps had faded. Then, he walked onto the balcony outside of his room.

Voices from the feast carried up from the banquet hall. Loki closed his eyes and imagined the drinking and carousing that had only just begun. He briefly regretted his choice to avoid the celebration. The guests hailed from all across the nine realms. Many of them made the journey to Odin's halls only rarely, so there were always new stories to hear and new magic to learn. Loki felt more confident in his decision, however, when he thought of the whispers that would go on behind his back. He doubted that anyone at the banquet was missing _him_.

Loki lifted his gaze to the horizon, staring out into the endless sky. It was the time of year when the heavens never dimmed past twilight, but he was still able to pick out a few bright stars. He focused on them and cast his mind backwards, reliving his words and actions, trying to sort out how the events of the tournament had gone so wildly awry. What had he done that was wrong or not enough?

A sharp rap on the door interrupted his brooding.

 _Dinner_ , Loki thought, recalling the tray that Frigga had promised.

"Enter!"

Loki came back inside his apartment and walked to the table where he would take his meal. He was already seated when he realized that he was still alone.

" _ENTER!"_ Loki said again, louder this time. Still, there was no response.

Annoyed, but hungry, he walked to the door and flung it open.

There was no one there.

Loki frowned and looked both ways in the corridor outside his room. The halls were empty. Perhaps he had imagined the knock?

He was about to return inside when he noticed a folded square of parchment sitting next to the threshold. He picked it up and brought it into his room.

At first, he thought that it might be a summons from Odin- but he quickly realized that the Allfather was not likely to send his order in writing, nor would he permit a servant to leave a message by the door. Loki examined the paper closely. The outside was unremarkable. There wasn't any writing or any seal. It was bound by a simple twist of burlap which Loki impatiently discarded. As he did so, a small velvet pouch slid into his hand.

Loki momentarily ignored the tiny parcel, directing his attention to the paper instead. The message was brief, but chilling:

_"Magic is the lifeblood of the nine realms.  
Thor will never be our king."_

Loki's first impulse was to drop the paper.

The writing was treason. Thor was clearly the front-runner to assume Odin's throne. _Thor will never be our King_ , the message said. Did that imply that some harm would befall him? Was there going to be a rebellion? Was the letter a warning or a threat? Could it be a trap? Thor's friends often remarked that they suspected Loki of plotting to take his brother's place. How far would they go in an attempt to ensnare him?

Loki's mind was racing. He stared at the message, trying to place the handwriting. When that failed he examined every corner of the page . He tried to work out some explanation of where it had come from and what it meant, but the object didn't offer any clues.

It was several moments before Loki remembered the pouch. He thrust his fingers inside- and then drew them back in pain. A bright red line of blood spread along the edge of his fingertip where it had been cut by whatever was inside.

Acting more cautiously, Loki turned the bag upside down and shook it's contents out onto the table. A jagged shard of glass fell out. At least, at first glance it _looked_ like glass. Peering closer, Loki wasn't so sure. It was a crystalline object, no larger than a Loki's thumb and roughly the shape of a square. Two sides of the piece were faceted like a gem. The others were jagged and razor sharp. Clearly, it was a piece of something larger. The surface of the item was faintly iridescent, and it glowed as if lit from within.

Loki had absolutely no idea what it was.

He glanced from the paper to the crystal and then back again, struggling to make out what they might mean, and ultimately deciding that it might be better if he didn't find out. It was hard enough to remain in Odin's favor as things were. If the Allfather held even the slightest suspicion that Loki was involved in a plot against Thor, things would only get worse.

Loki crumpled the piece of paper. He was about To toss it into the fire, along with the piece of glass as well, but something stopped him. The crystal felt strangely warm, and the glow was brighter. Loki stared in amazement. Then, as clearly as if someone was standing in the room, he heard a voice speak a name inside his head:

_Sigyn Freyasdotter_

Loki's eyes widened. Where had the voice come from- and what did it mean? The goddess Freya was a familiar face at Court, but he could scarcely remember her daughters. He struggled to place their faces. It was years since they had been to the castle. They had all been children then.

Remembering himself as a child, Loki was finally able to summon a memory: the night that Sif had lost her famous golden hair.

Loki smiled as a piece of the puzzle finally fell into place.

He knew where he had seen a crystal like this before.

* * *

"Pull harder!"

Sigyn moaned in frustration as her older sister dropped a corner of the net that they were hauling in and let it fall back into the sea.

"SYN!'

"I don't want to get my dress wet!" Syn answered, utterly unconcerned by Sigyn's displeasure. Syn took a step backwards. "This is servants work at any rate!"

Sigyn started to point out that they didn't have servants to spare. Even if they had, their grandfather Njord had directed the girls to bring in the net themselves. In the end, however, Sigyn bit her tongue. She knew that Syn was still smarting from the fact that she hadn't been allowed to go to Odin's feast with their mother. Sigyn could understand her sister's disappointment. She would have liked to see the palace again as well, but unlike Syn, Sigyn had never harbored any hopes that their mother would let her attend.

Freya had seven daughters, and there was not nearly enough ready cash to send even one of them to the King's table in the style that their mother demanded (to be fair, the sale of a few of the jewels showered upon their mother by lovelorn suitors could keep them in fashion until Ragnarok, but that was a thought that never seemed to occur to Freya). Even if there had been, Freya was not inclined to share attention. While none of Freya's daughters could match their mother's beauty, the girls were kept so cloistered that eyes followed them with interest whenever they did appear in public. A sense of mystery lent them all a gloss that beauty alone could not bestow.

Feeling charitable, Sigyn decided to put Syn out of her misery. "Oh, go back to the house!" she sighed. "I'll manage somehow on my own!"

Syn didn't need any further convincing. She scurried away without another word. Sigyn smiled as she watched her sister scramble up the rocks toward home.

Noatun was still a regal mansion, although portions had fallen into disrepair. Once, the dwelling had boasted a thousand rooms and a great hall to rival Odin's own, but that was many years ago.

Sigyn and her kin were Vanir, rivals of the Aesir in the great war. After years of fighting, with neither side in a decisive lead, they sued for peace. The old ones agreed to an exchange of hostages and a pledge of brotherhood between their realms. In exchange for captives, the Aesir would accept the Vanir as equal citizens. That was the theory, at least.

For a time, there was peace and plenty. Sigyn's grandfather, Njord, was one of the original hostages. He was Lord of the watery realm of Vanaheim, and he brought with him all of the riches of the sea. That was when the house was built, perched proudly on an island in the Asgard ocean, teetering on the edge of land and sea and stars.

Prosperity didn't last.

Too late, the Vanir discovered that they had been tricked. The hostages that Odin offered in return for Njord were not princes as they had been proclaimed, but outcasts and criminals with no value on their lives. To spare their beloved king Njord, the Vanir were forced to bend to Odin's will. It wasn't long before Vanaheim fell into ruin. Those citizens who survived passed into Asgard, blending in with the population until there were few who remembered their home by the sea. The tributes from the old lands stopped coming, and the citizens of Asgard grew suspicious of those who still claimed their Vanir birth. They were wary of the strange ways that the old sea people kept and the powerful magic that they could wield.

Despite disfavor, the house of Njord would never disown its heritage so long as the old man lived. Syn and the other sisters sometimes grumbled at their grandfather's quaint customs and tired stories, but Sigyn secretly loved them, just as she loved grandfather and his oceans and his crumbling old house. She was Vanir to the core, and so Sigyn's let out a sigh of bliss as she stepped into the water and warm sand oozed between her toes.

The waves that lapped at Sigyn's feet were warm. It was a delightful contrast to the cool breeze that blew in from the stars. Sigyn was sorely tempted to go for a swim, but was too mindful of her duties to give in. Determined to bring the catch to land, she tucked her skirts above her knees and waded into the shallow water to fetch the edge of the net that Syn had dropped.

A float was tied to the corner of the woven ropes, and it bobbed just beyond Sigyn's reach. She stretched forward, balancing on one of her toes, straining until her fingertips just managed to brush against the weathered wood. The shifting seas kept it just beyond her reach. She had to take another step forward and reach again. Sigyn was paying so much attention to the net that she didn't notice the wave that began to crest. Her hand finally closed around the edge of the net just as the wall of water hit her square in the chest.

The force of the wave knocked Sigyn backwards, submerging her completely. It was several seconds before she reemerged from the water, sputtering, coughing and utterly drenched.

Perversely, during the tumult the edge of the net wrapped around Sigyn's foot. Muttering some very unladylike words, she yanked it free and dragged the nets to shore.

 _If only Syn could see me now_ , Sigyn thought miserably as she looked down at her ruined gown. The thin silk was plastered to her body like a second skin. The pale color was nearly translucent where it was soaked through, and the clasp at her shoulder was torn. Sigyn could only imagine what her grandfather would think if he saw her in this condition or- worse- the lecture that Freya would deliver when she discovered that Sigyn had ruined yet _another_ gown _._

To add insult to injury, any fish that might have been caught in the traps had managed to struggle free. Sigyn growled in frustration when she realized that her labors had all been for naught.

Sigyn was just wondering how the situation could possibly be made any worse when she heard a sound that sent her heart to her knees:

"Lady Sigyn? Is that you"


	2. Salkin and the Azimuth

Loki Odinsson would have been lying to deny that he took more than a little gratification from Lady's Sigyn's response to his hail. He could see the exact moment when the girl realized that she was addressing a Prince of Asgard. All of the color drained out of her cheeks and her eyes widened. For a moment, she appeared frozen on the spot. Then, to Loki's immense pleasure, she dropped to her knees on the sand.

"Your highness!" Sigyn said, head bowed. She waited for his response.

Loki hesitated before he told her to rise, allowing his eyes to sweep over her kneeling figure.

He assumed that the woman must be pretty when she was clean- She _was_ Freya's daughter, after all- and Loki was too much of a man not to appreciate the way that the sodden dress clung to her hips and breasts. At the moment, however, Sigyn resembled nothing so much as a drowned rat and he had more pressing matters to address.

"I want to see your necklace," he said without preamble.

"My necklace…?" Sigyn's fingers reached instinctively for her throat. Loki watched their progress as they brushed her pale white skin, and frowned when he realized that that her neck was bare.

"The one that you wore to the palace when we were children," he pressed. "The crystal on a string. You _do_ still have it?"

"Yes," Sigyn answered, a note of wariness in her voice.

"I want to see it."

"Now?"

"Unless you have a more pressing engagement?" Loki said, his impatience injecting a note of cruelty into his tone, "I can see that you're dressed for company."

Sigyn glanced down at her ruined dress and flushed.

"Of course not, your highness," she said quickly. "I'll fetch it immediately. Will you come up to the house?"

Loki wanted to say "no". The path back to Noatun was steep and winding. He had nearly broken his neck on the journey down, but his impatience to solve the mystery was stronger than his sense of self preservation, and so he nodded his head and followed Sigyn to the trail.

One of the many salacious rumors about the Goddess Freya hinted that some of her daughters had been fathered by dwarves. Noting the ease with which Sigyn scampered over the rocks, Loki wondered if Freya had bred with a mountain goat instead. Sigyn's footwork was light and sure as she ascended, and Loki was careful to follow her lead until they finally reached the top.

Accustomed to the Odin's palace, Loki was not impressed by the scale of Noatun. Still, he did admit that it was a stately and unusual house. Vanir architecture was very different from that of Asgard. The building was solid and balanced rather than soaring and asymmetrical. Noatun was constructed of weathered stone, with pointed rooflines, wooden braces, and windows of colored glass. With its low profile and gray façade, the house looked almost like a natural outcropping on the craggy cliff where it stood.

Sigyn left Loki in the main hall while she went to fetch the necklace. He passed the time wandering around the room, examining the tapestries that hung on the wall. He recognized a few of the stories that they depicted: Audhumbla licking the salt stone and the world tree Yggdrasil. One of the hangings had been cleverly constructed so that it appeared one of the Norns, the old Goddesses who wove the destinies of all men on their looms, was crafting the fabric herself.

At the end of the hall, a door was standing half-open. Peering inside, Loki saw a collection of scrolls. This must be Njord's library. The realization made Loki's pulse quicken. The Vanir were accomplished sorcerers. He could scarcely imagine the secrets that he might find inside. He was about to indulge his curiosity when Sigyn returned.

Sigyn had changed her clothes and dried her hair. She was wearing a dress of lavender silk that was cinched beneath her bust and fell in graceful folds around her feet. Her copper hair was held back from her face with a band of gold, putting her delicate features on display. The most striking change, however, was her expression. Dry clothes and familiar surroundings had worked a remarkable transformation. The awe and timidity that Sigyn had displayed on the beach was gone, replaced by an almost regal self-possession. Loki remembered, for the first time, that Sigyn was royalty too.

"Is this what you were looking for?"

Sigyn held out her hand. Uncurling her fingers, she revealed a chunk of crystal attached to a silver chain.

Loki reached for the necklace and arched a brow when Sigyn's first instinct was to draw away.

"I'm not going to take it," he snapped, swallowing the " _yet…_ " that rose up in his mind.

Sigyn bit her lip, but eventually surrendered her treasure.

Loki picked it up by its chain and held it up for examination.

Just as he expected, the little piece of glass was very similar to the one that he had been given. It had the same shine and glow and the same warmth to the touch. The only differences that he could determine were that none of its edges were sharp, and that it was remarkably heavy for its size.

"Where did you get this?" Loki asked.

"I found it," Sigyn said.

"Where?"

Loki noted the hesitation before Sigyn began to speak. He didn't understand why she was so reluctant to speak.

"On the beach. I was looking for shells."

"What is it?"

There was another pause. This time, Loki did not let it pass without comment. "Well?"

"I don't really know."

"What do you _think_ it is?" Loki asked, tersely.

Sigyn sighed and turned away. She walked to the tapestry of the Norn and ran her finger along the thread that represented Fate. She took a deep breath.

"Grandfather said…it might be…it might be a piece of the Azimuth."

"The Azimuth?"

Sigyn shrugged. "It's just a story."

"A _lot_ of things are just stories," Loki said, walking toward her. Sigyn turned and met his gaze. "Some of them are true."

"But not all."

"Tell me anyway."

Sigyn returned her attention to the tapestry as she spoke.

"There are many objects of power," she began. "Your father's spear, Gungnir is one. It is said that the Jotunheim once possessed another…"

"The casket of Ancient Winters," Loki interjected, "I've seen it."

Sigyn nodded. "The Vanir possessed a source of power as well: Aellfrin _,"_ she spoke the last word in a tongue that Loki didn't understand, " _The Soul of the Deep_. It came from the heart of bottomless sea that encircles Vanaheim."

"During the Great War, the Aesir, the Vanir, the Jotuns and the other realms clashed in battle again and again…but the three great powers were too evenly matched. My Great-grandfather ,Salkin, was king of our people then, and he was anxious to find an advantage. Because the power wielded by the great kings was equal, he knew that the only way to prevail was to find a way to know when and where to weild the power to its best advantage."

"One day, a beautiful Enchantress came to Court. She told Salkin that she knew how to give him the weapon that he sought. Together, she and the king broke Aellfrin apart and reforged it into a magical crown of knowledge. The king named it 'Azimuth', after the way that seafarers chart the skies, because it was meant to chart Vanaheim's victory in the war."

"But Vanaheim didn't win."

"No…" Sigyn shook her head. "We didn't...As long as he wore the crown, Salkin need only think of a question and the answer would appear…He knew where to find any treasure. He knew the weakness of any army. He learned hundreds of spells and enchantments, and that is where the Vanir obtained most of their knowledge of magic. The only drawback was, that for every question that it answered, the crown weighed a little more. As the years passed, it became more and more of a burden, so that Salkin was barely able to hold up his head and walk about- but he never took it off. For a time, our people prospered, and it appeared that the Vanir would win the war…but Salkin had been misled."

"The enchantress gave Salkin knowledge instead of wisdom, and he didn't have enough of the latter on his own to appreciate the difference. He started asking questions that men are not meant to know. He asked about the beginning of things, and the end of things…and things that are whispered behind closed doors. One day, he asked who would slay him- would it be your Father, Laufey of the Jotuns, or one of his sons… "

"What did the Azimuth answer?"

"The Azimuth answered that he would never be harmed by any living thing."

"It was wrong?" Loki frowned.

"No…again…it wasn't wisdom that the crown had granted, so Salkin didn't question its reply. Not long afterwards, there was a great battle with the Frost Giants. Despite all our advantages, the Jotuns made their way into the very heart of the realm- all the way to the castle by the sea."

"Salkin went out to meet the army himself, convinced that he could not come to harm. The Frost Giants cast a spell on the water, creating a giant sheet of ice- and that was the battlefield where the armies clashed. The battle lasted for three nights and three days. It seemed, once again, that the conflict would be a draw- and then Laufey met Salkin face to face."

"The crown was so weighty that great-grandfather could barely stand, but he wasn't afraid when Laufey drew back his sword of ice. The Jotun King intended to cut off Salkin's head…However, just as the Azimuth promised, Laufey missed when he moved to strike the blow. The Frost Giant stumbled. Instead of slicing Salkin's neck, his sword went high and it glanced across the crown instead. Laufey crashed to the ground…and then something happened that they did not expect."

"The giant fell so hard that a great crack opened in the ice. Laufey was able to use his magic to freeze the water again and to save himself from drowning, but Salkin's was not so lucky. He tried to swim, but the Azimuth was so heavy that he couldn't keep his head above the waves. His soldiers begged him to cast the crown aside, but he refused. The weight of the Azimuth dragged him into the depths. Neither the king nor the crown was ever seen again."

Loki listened to the end of the story and then looked down again at Sigyn's necklace. He turned the pendant over in his hand, trying to imagine it on the head of a drowning king.

"This is a piece of that crown?"

Sigyn shrugged. "I don't know. I told you that I wasn't certain. Grandfather said it was possible that a piece of the Azimuth was broken off by Laufey's sword. No one would have noticed it lying there on the ice...and then the waves carried it back to the shore."

Loki decided to test Sigyn's theory.

Loki folded his fingers around the crystal and closed his eyes. He concentrated on a question, and even spoke the words aloud: "Will my brother Thor be king?"

Nothing happened.

Loki opened his hand and frowned at the necklace. Sigyn just shook her head. "It doesn't work like that…at least for me."

"It _does_ work for you though?" Loki asked.

Sigyn chewed her lip again. "I…I think so," she admitted. "But only when I'm in desperate need. The first time that it happened, I was in mama's room, playing with her jewelry when she came home with a…a…"

" _Friend_?" Loki finished for her, sparing Sigyn the embarrassment of an explanation.

"Yes," Sigyn answered. I hid behind the curtains. I was certain that she was going to catch me. My hand wrapped around the necklace without really meaning to…it just happened. I was trying to think of a way to escape…and then…it was like I _felt_ the answer : look under the rug _._ I pulled up the corner of the carpet and found a trapdoor there. I had never seen it before."

Loki nodded, "What else?"

"I was trapped in a cave with the tide coming in…and I found the way back outside."

"And?"

"Those are the only times I can remember," Sigyn said, sounding apologetic for living the sort of life where she had found herself in dire peril only _twice._ "And perhaps it was just my imagination, but it sounded-"

"Just like a voice in your head," Loki finished, thinking of his own experience.

Sigyn nodded. "How do you know?"

"Because I heard it too."

Sigyn's eyes went wide at the announcement, and they went to the size of saucers when Loki shook his own crystal out of its pouch.

"Where did you get that?" she demanded. "I never thought the rumors were true."

"Rumors?"

"That the crown had been found. That there were other pieces..."

Now it was Loki's time to show amazement. "Who said that? Where are they?"

"No," Sigyn shook her head. "It's not my turn. You have to answer my question first. Where did you get that?"

"Someone left it at my door," Loki admitted. He reached into a pocket and pulled out the message. "Someone left this too….look familiar?"

Sigyn accepted the paper and began to read. Her eyes raced over the two bare lines of the note in seconds, and then she pushed it away in horror. "NO! Of course I don't recognize it!"

Sigyn said the words _too_ fast and _too_ passionately. Loki noticed her anxious expression and frowned.

"No? You didn't look at it very closely to be so sure."

Now Sigyn turned indignant. "Don't believe everything you hear. The Vanir were wronged by your father's treaty, but we have lost the heart for war. We are citizens of Asgard now. No one in my family would _ever_ send a note like that!"

Until Sigyn spoke the words, it had never occurred to Loki that the Vanir might be behind the message. But when he paused to consider the idea, it made perfect sense. It was true that many of the race now considered themselves to be Asgardian, but it was also true that men like Njord remained. The Vanir clearly had a motive to obtain revenge against Odin- to claim the prince that they had been denied at the end of the war. It was also clear to Loki that the Vanir would favor him as ruler instead of his brother. He respected their magic . Most importantly, the Vanir had access to the palace. Freya was always at Court. When Loki stopped to think about it, there were rumors that Sigyn's mother held her own _special_ grudge against the Allfather, though Loki didn't want to ponder to hard about why that might be.

"You're certain?" Loki pressed. "You'd stake your _life_ that it is true?"

"Yes!" Sigyn said, this time without a hint of hesitation. It was her eyes that betrayed her concern.

Loki's lips twisted into a smile. If he had not discovered the truth, at least he had found a tool to help him reach it. Sigyn was visibly distressed, which meant that he had just obtained powerful leverage to make her speak.

"Since you are so loyal, I'm sure you won't mind proving it by answering my query…What are the rumors that the crown has been found?"

"I…" Sigyn seemed to visibly shrink. "I don't remember."

Loki wasn't certain if he believed her or not- but he knew a way to find out. "You have two days to figure it out."

"I have two days until _what_?"

"Until I take this letter to my father," Loki told her. "Perhaps _he_ is a better judge of loyalty than I."


	3. Two Days

When Loki returned to the castle, the feast was still going on, but he returned to his room and not the great hall.

The dinner that Frigga had promised was waiting on his table, still warm. Loki poured himself a glass of wine and then sat down to eat and to process what he had learned at Noatun.

The trip had been a success. Loki was nearly certain that Sigyn's suspicions were correct- that the shards _were_ pieces of the Azimuth. Now the girl would supply the rest of the information that he required.

Loki smiled when he thought of Sigyn. At Noatun, he had been too caught up in the mystery of the necklace to spare much thought for how much she had changed from the little girl in his memory. Now, however, relaxing in his room, he had time to look back and savor the way that her curvy body had looked wrapped up in the wringing wet dress.

 _It's almost a good thing that her grandfather was exiled_ , Loki thought when his thoughts moved on to the girl's more intrinsic qualities. Sigyn had stepped forward to sacrifice herself at the merest hint that her family was threatened. Selfless types like that didn't last very long at Court. Loki admired Sigyn’s behavior, despite the fact that it was foolish. He couldn't think of anyone at the palace who would trade their own welfare for his. Even Frigga would put Odin's interests first.

Loki wondered what it would be like to have someone love him like that.

* * *

_Two days._

Sigyn walked up the staircase slowly, her feed like lead as Loki's deadline echoed through her head. Her fingers rubbed anxiously against the hollow of her neck, instinctively seeking out the necklace that had caused all of the trouble. It wasn't there. Sigyn had been so distraught by the Prince's insinuations that she forgot to demand it back.

_If only I had kept my mouth shut!_

Reviewing the conversation in her mind, Sigyn was certain that Loki had no idea about the crown of Azimuth before their meeting. It was stupid to tell him. Even if she was honor bound as a citizen of Asgard to answer his original question, there was no need to volunteer rumors that the crown had been found. Now, Sigyn had no choice but to move forward. She was thoroughly tangled up in a web of trouble- and she had spun the trap herself.

Sigyn rubbed the side of her temple. A sharp pain had started just behind her eyes. If not for her distraction, she would have placed the sensation sooner. But it wasn't until a voice hissed, "Var! Stop it! She'll notice!" that Sigyn realized that one of her sisters was trying to read her mind.

All of the sisters had been trained in Vanir magic, but only Nanna and Sigyn had applied themselves to their lessons. Var was particularly bad at it, and Sigyn was able to lock her out without a second thought. Growling in annoyance, she flew up the final flight of stairs and spun around the corner. Sure enough, a clutch of her sisters were gathered in the hall. Var, Syn, Lofn, Snotra and even little Hnoss, the youngest, were huddled together outside Sigyn's room. Only Nanna was missing. Sigyn hoped that her older sister was off doing something more sensible than foraging for gossip. That was undoubtedly what the others were attempting. Even without using her ability to read minds, Sigyn could read the guilt on their faces. She was relieved that she had met with Loki in the main hall. In any other part of the house, her sisters would have been listening at the door!

Unwilling to reward their curiosity, Sigyn stalked past them without a word and went into her room. She closed the door behind her, but the sisters didn't take the hint. They all streamed in behind her. Var went to the window to try and catch a fleeting glimpse of the prince. Lofn draped her lithe body over Sigyn's bed. Syn walked directly to the mirror to admire her reflection while the youngest two girls gathered around Sigyn and stared up at her with wide, anxious eyes.

" _Well?"_ Lofn said, after the tension became unbearable.

Sigyn sighed. "Well, what?"

"What did Prince Loki want?" Lofn spoke first, but her question was like the first crack in a dyke. Soon, all of the girls were talking at once.

"Oh! I never should have come back to the house!" Syn moaned, still watching her own reflection, "I miss everything exciting- and my hair looked so nice today! I'm sure that he would have liked to see _me!_ "

"He's _so_ handsome," Snotra said in a swooning tone.

Var sounded less impressed, "I wish that the blonde one had come instead!"

"I want to see Odin's pony!" Hnossa whined.

Sigyn had enough.

"Prince Loki wanted to ask me a question about Vanaheim," she said firmly and started shooing them all towards the door. "That's all. I answered and he left."

"Why would he ask _you_ the question?" Lofn said shrewdly, tilting her heart-shaped face to the side as she shot her sister a suspicious frown. "Why didn't he stay at the castle and ask mother?"

Sigyn caught her lower lip between her teeth and scrambled for an answer. It would be a mistake to mention the Azimuth to the gossip-starved girls, but they wouldn't leave without an explanation.

Luckily, Syn jumped in with an answer, "I suppose that he was asking you about magic," she said, sounding disappointed and suddenly bored. "I hear that he's terribly interested in that sort of thing."

"Yes," Sigyn grasped gratefully on to the theme, relieved that it wasn't _entirely_ a lie. "He had a question about some magic. That's all. There's nothing left to tell."

Sigyn supposed that she ought to be insulted by how readily her sisters accepted this explanation. Surely they thought that the prince was a _little_ bit interested in her for her beauty or charm?

Apparently not. The girls filed out without another word, leaving Sigyn alone in her room. She slumped wearily in her bed. She was exhausted. All the same, she knew that she wouldn't sleep that night. Her thoughts were too unsettled. What was she going to do?

* * *

Sigyn spent the next day and a half wracking her memory for every scrap she could remember about the Azimuth and pouring over the books in her grandfather's library. Despite her efforts, she couldn't remember more than the teasing suggestions at the end of bedtime stories that the crown might be found again someday. She couldn't recall any mention of where it might be. There were plenty of books that referenced the tale of the enchanted crown, but they all agreed that it had gone with Salkin into the sea, never to be found again. She wished that she could simply ask the old Vanir king, but he was indisposed- and Sigyn was too worried that he was involved in whatever conspiracy was taking place to risk broaching the topic with him.

Sigyn ran down every lead that she could think of, but always ended in the same place: a dead end.

_You could make something up…_

Sigyn hated the thought of lying, but the thought was growing more and more tempting as time wore on. She hadn't promised the prince anything more than rumors, after all. There was no rule that she couldn't start the rumors herself!

She decided to look one last time to see if there was anything that she had missed. This time, when she stuck her head into Njord's library, she noticed something odd. A book bound in green leather was sitting on the edge of the desk. Sigyn was certain that it hadn't been there before.

A shiver of foreboding ran along her spine when she read the title of the volume: "The Reign and Fall of King Salkin". She opened to a page at random, and then slammed it shut again. This was exactly what she needed- but the sudden appearance was suspicious. She had been through the house a dozen times. How could she have missed it?

The answer that presented itself was far from comforting. No one had visited the house since Loki left, but Freya had finally returned from the palace a few hours before. The arrival of the book couldn't be mere coincidence.

 _Oh, mother- what have you done now?_ Sigyn thought unhappily to herself. She wished, for the millionth time that she had a normal mother that she could simply talk to. Sigyn knew all too well that confronting Freya was futile. The elder goddess lived her life as she pleased, passing through the nine realms in pursuit of pleasure, excitement and not much else. It was invariably up to Sigyn to clean up whatever mess that Freya created. Tucking the book under her arm, Sigyn steeled herself to do just that.

* * *

"Up three flights of stairs, turn left at the fountain, then right, then left again at another fountain, across the bridge, under the archway and then stop outside a silver door…" Sigyn repeated the directions under her breath over and over again like a mantra. This was only her second time at Odin's palace- the first time on her own- and she was terrified of getting lost.

Sigyn looked around with wide eyes. She had expected the place to be large. She could see it from Noatun and she had visited as a child, but she had not anticipated that it would resemble a self-contained city more than a home. It was full of people bustling and scurrying through the corridors on business much too urgent to pause and tell Sigyn where to find the prince.

With effort, luck, and only a few wrong turns, Sigyn eventually found her way to the royal apartments. A stone-faced guard barred her entry. He didn't so much as glance down at her when she stopped in front of the doorway.

"Excuse me," Sigyn said, with as much confidence as she could manage. "I'm here to see Prince Loki."

The guard finally deigned to dip his chin. He gave Sigyn an appraising glance. She felt the look as though it were a touch.

Sigyn nervously smoothed her hands down the gown that she had stolen from her mother's closet. When she had first put it on, Sigyn felt almost comically grand. It felt strange and ostentatious to walk around in the heavy gown, covered in heavy embroidery and glistening gems. Now, however, after seeing all of the finery on display at court, she was glad that she had worn it. It almost felt too plain. She was anxious to just pass muster.

"Who are you?" the guard asked when he had finished his visual inspection.

" _Lady_ Sigyn," she replied, emphasizing her title. She had debated offering her mother's name. It would have sped her entry- but it might raise questions too. Luckily, additional introduction wasn't necessary. The guard motioned for Sigyn to wait while he stepped behind the heavy silver door.

A few minutes later, the man reappeared and motioned for Sigyn to step inside. A servant was standing on the other side of the entrance. With a curtsey, the girl gestured that Sigyn should follow her.

The scale of the rooms and furnishings inside the royal chambers were smaller, but just as breathtaking as they had been in the public rooms. Sigyn felt embarrassed when she recalled Loki's visit to Noatun. She had always been proud of the carved tables and ancient tapestries of her own hall, but they were woefully shabby when compared with even a lowly antechamber here. Every inch of the royal quarters was new, shining and stuffed with exquisite works of art. Even the floor tiles were interlaid with gold!

They walked for what seemed like miles until they finally reached Loki's room. The servant knocked on the door.

"Enter!" Loki's voice answered.

The servant and Sigyn both stepped inside.

"Your highness," the servant said, "Lady Sigyn to see you."

"You made it," Loki said to Sigyn, after he shooed the serving girl away. The smile on his face was genuine. He hadn't worked out how to follow through on his threat of telling Odin about the letter without implicating himself in the scheme, and so he was equal parts pleased and relieved that Sigyn had simply obeyed. "Did you bring the information that I requested?"

Sigyn bobbed her head and offered up a silk-wrapped parcel.

"What's this?" Loki asked, pulling the wrappings loose.

"A book that I found in my grandfather's study," Sigyn explained as Loki pushed the last of the silk aside and held the volume up for inspection. "It will tell you everything that you need to know."

Loki nodded and started flipping through the pages. He was surprised by what he read. His own research in the palace library had turned up only passing mentions of the Azimuth- and no hint of a history of King Salkin being in existence anywhere. He skimmed the pages greedily, skimming over the parts of the story that Sigyn had already told him until he reached the very end.

"…where it is said that Hambli, Dark Elf of Svartalfheim, carried the shards of Azimuth to his lair beneath the Slumbering Mountain," he read aloud.

"Well, there you are," Sigyn said, chewing her lip again and glancing longingly for the door. "Svartleheim. I'm sure that you need to prepare for your journey. I'll leave you in peace. Now, if you would please give me back my necklace…"

"You can have the necklace after we return," Loki snapped in reply, never taking his eyes off the book.

Sigyn's heart sank. "After _we_ return?"

"I need your help to get to Svartalfheim," Loki said, "Surely you agree that using the BiFrost would draw unnecessary attention?"

"What makes you think that I know another way between worlds?" Sigyn asked, growing pale. Her voice grew slightly desperate as she argued: "My family are pledged as hostages to the Aesir. We cannot leave this realm without explicit permission from the king. Even my mother-!"

"Yes…you've never left Asgard," Loki said in a sinister drawl, "And yet- you found a piece of the Azimuth washed up on the beach…A piece that fell into the sea of Vanaheim."

Sigyn turned away and tried to compose her features. She wanted to cry with frustration.

"I don't have a choice, do I?" she said at last.

Loki flashed a mischievous smile. "You always have a choice, Sigyn. In this case, you may _choose_ to help me and earn my gratitude….or….you may _choose_ to refuse my humble request and face the consequences instead. Either way- the next move is yours."

Sigyn clenched her eyes shut and wished that she were someone else. Her mother would not have hesitated to walk away from the problem. Syn would have pouted and raged and worried about whether her hair would curl properly in the Svartalfheim climate. Var would have been too starstruck by the prince to think of the opportunity to travel with him to the realm of the dark elves as anything short of a delight- but she was none of those people. She was solid, loyal, dependable Sigyn, and she couldn't leave her family's safety to change or to someone else.

Loki was wrong. There was no choice- at least, not for her.

"Meet me at the beach tomorrow morning," Sigyn said after a long pause. "Pack light and warmly. I'll take you where you need to go."


	4. Journey

The next morning, Loki rose early to prepare for his journey to Noatun. He dressed inconspicuously, choosing a drab olive tunic and brown breeches in lieu of his typically more vibrant attire. Mindful of Sigyn's admonition to pack light, he stowed only a thin blanket, a handful of healing stones and a few apples in a pack which he slung over one shoulder. His scabbard and short-sword were draped across the other. After hiding both beneath his traveling cloak, he slipped out of his room before the castle began to stir.

As a boy, Loki made a sport of eavesdropping. As a result, he had learned a thousand secret passages and hidden walkways, so that he made it all the way to the stables without meeting another soul.

A young groom, napping in the sweet hay of an empty stall, stirred as the Prince approached. Loki lifted a finger to his lips and the young boy nodded and closed his eyes again. Loki had a habit of strange comings and goings, so that few thought to question him now- and those who did often came to regret their choice.

Loki neither knew nor cared whether it was boredom of fear which caused the stablehand to ignore his intrusion. It was enough that he was able to saddle a mount himself and thunder into the dark, silent streets of the city alone. The edge of the sky had only begun to tinge with dawn when he sighted Njord's house on the horizon. Loki abandoned his horse at the gate of the manor and then waited impatiently for enough light to see his way down the treacherous pathway to the beach without breaking his neck.

Sigyn was waiting at the end of the trail. Her little body was swathed in an ash-gray cloak that she clutched tightly around her throat. Only her slim white hands and a wayward lock of auburn hair were visible beneath the heavy folds.

"Lady Sigyn-!" Loki hailed, stepping close. He opened his mouth to ask when they could get underway when he was caught completely by surprise.

Without warning, Sigyn launched herself against Loki's body. Her arms wound around his neck and her lips pressed tightly against his skin.

For a moment he was too stunned to react. When he regained his senses, his first instinct was to push away, but to his amazement, Sigyn held him tight.

"Heimdall might be watching!" Sigyn hissed against his ear. She continued to move her lips lightly along his jaw, mocking a passionate greeting. "We need a reason to disappear!"

Loki exhaled in relief when he realized what she was doing. It was said that the Guardian of the Rainbow bridge could see everything that transpired in the nine realms. Loki had a sinking suspicion that the gatekeeper's eye lingered on him more often than others. If the Prince vanished from Asgard with no explanation, Odin would be notified almost before they were away- but if Heimdall merely thought that Loki was off on a lover's tryst….

He was in the middle of congratulating himself for putting the pieces in place when Sigyn made him jump again. She had reached inside of the shapeless cloak and withdrawn a silver flash. Without warning, she dumped the contents of the bottle directly on his head.

"Hey!" he yelped, taking a step backwards. This time Sigyn didn't stop him. It was possible that she didn't notice. When he looked, her face was screwed up in concentration and she was chanting an incantation in a tongue he didn't know.

The silver flask could not have held more than a cupful of liquid, but as Sigyn spoke, the sensation of wetness on top of his head began to spread. Loki shifted uneasily as he felt warm rivulets drip from his hair onto his shoulders, then down onto his chest and legs, building with every second until he felt like he was standing beneath a flood.

Instinctively, he held his breath and closed his eyes. It seemed like several seconds before Sigyn fell silent and the sensation of water faded away.

"There." Sigyn touched Loki's arm. "It is done. Heimdall cannot see us now."

Loki slowly opened his eyes. He hoped, rather than believed, that his feeling of unsteadiness was from the magic and not the kiss. It was a very long time since he had held a woman in his arms.

Luckily, he didn't have to linger in his discomfort. Almost immediately, Sigyn began to walk toward the water. She wandered to an outcropping of rock that jutted into the sea and scrambled to the top. "This way!Hurry!"

Loki moved to follow, but at a dignified pace. He had already surrendered a great deal of control in exchange for Sigyn's assistance as a guide. He certainly wasn't going to be herded along the trail like a flock of sheep.

…assuming that there _was_ a trail.

Loki frowned when he realized where Sigyn was headed. She was teetering on a thin ridge of stone that rose out of the water like a sea creature's spine. It continued only six or seven yards before stopping abruptly at the edge of Asgard. The actual border was obscured in a thick mist, but Loki could clearly hear the roar of waterfalls on either side and see, with his own eyes, how the liquid cascaded into nothingness below.

"Are you crazy?" he hissed, stepping up onto the ledge but refusing to follow. "You'll fall!"

Sigyn paused with one foot swallowed by the fog. "You have to trust me," she called back. She extended a hand toward him. "Don't be afraid."

_Afraid?_

Loki received the word as a taunt and he instantly bristled. "I'm hardly _afraid_ ," he sneered and finally began to move forward. He inched toward where Sigyn was standing, face impassive, but whispering a flying spell under his breath.

Loki ignored Sigyn's hand, which she allowed to drop. "It's always hard the first time," she said. "It may help to close your eyes."

"Help what?" Loki snapped, losing his patience with the girl's apparent inability to explain anything.

She didn't answer. Instead, she took a long stride forward.

Loki's stomach clenched and he reached forward instinctively, expecting her little body to slip off into the void- but Sigyn was still standing in front of him. Her feet were bathed in mist, but her body was as steady as if she were on solid ground.

"Now you," she coaxed.

Very slowly, Loki complied. He didn't so much step as shuffle forward, careful to leave his weight on his back leg until the last possible moment. When he looked down, he could see starlight filtering between the haze that encircled his feet, but he didn't start to fall. In fact, it was easier to balance now than it had been on the rock.

Sigyn started forward again, moving slowly at first. Loki was careful to copy her steps. The invisible path they followed was slanted sharply downward and curved to the left, bringing them so close to the waterfalls that moisture drenched their hair and cloaks. For several tense moments they were walking directly behind the wall of water, but then they turned left again. Looking up, Loki saw a sky of roots and stones which must be the bottom side of Asgard. When they finally stepped clear of the roaring water he was, at last, able to make out the road they were following.

There was still a mist, but now it was beneath their feet: a gossamer carpet of iridescent color that stretched out into the stars.

Loki decided that it must be one of the lesser branches of Ydraggsil- the "hidden roads" as they were called. He had heard of them in bedtime stories as a young boy- usually some nonsense about shepherds or soldiers accidentally falling into a different realm- but he never truly believed that they were real.

"How did you find this?" Loki demanded of Sigyn.

She hesitated.

"I'm _not_ going to tell Odin," he said, exasperated. Surely the girl was bright enough to realize that he had implicated himself in this operation far too deeply now to betray her to the king.

Apparently not. She was hesitant when she whispered. "My grandfather showed me. He found this passage before the great war. Noatun was built on the cliff to protect it."

"Njord showed you the path to Svartalfheim?" Loki asked, unable to taunt. "That must be very useful to your mother when she gets lonely. I hear she's a great friend to the dwarves."

Sigyn's face remained maddeningly impassive. "This is the way to _Vanaheim,"_ she said, a tightness in her tone the only clue that Loki's barb about her mother's sex life had stung at all. "We must take another road from there."

"How long will that take?"

"I don't rightly know." Sigyn paused and turned. "Time moves differently here. We may have been gone a day already…or merely a second. Asgard is far behind us now."

Loki turned to look over his shoulder. Sigyn was right. Although it felt like they had travelled mere moments the path behind them was empty save a canvas of stars.

"Just keep walking," Sigyn advised.

Loki had no choice but to do exactly that.


	5. Vanaheim

It was impossible to guess how long they walked. Stars wheeled around Loki and Sigyn in every direction, but the twists and turns of the path made it impossible to track their travels across the endless inky night.

Sigyn was silent as she led the way, and Loki followed her example. He matched the steady, regular pace that she set, losing himself inside his own thoughts to pass the time as they continued ever onward. He ignored the rumble in his empty stomach and bit back the desire to demand to know where they were going and when they would arrive, but it became harder with every step.

His resolve was nearly spent when the stars around them began to fade away. The mist at their feet began rising again, but it was darker than it had been at Asgard. Loki had the sense of solid space closing around them from all sides, almost as if they were being swallowed, and a fine mist clung to his skin.

"Sigyn?" he asked, finally breaking the stillness. "Are we almost there?"

"Nearly," she answered, but didn't slow. The space around them continued to transform. Loki could make out a point of light in the distance. When he reached out, his knuckles scraped against roughened stone and the air began to carry the sharp, tangy scent of the sea.

"Just a little further!" They began to climb. Sigyn bent forward, pushing against the walls around them as she struggled up the path. They continued toward the light which grew steadily larger and closer until, at last, they emerged on a sandy beach.

After such a long journey in the dark and stillness, their new surroundings registered as a shock. The sun was very bright overhead and the crash of waves upon the sand and cliffs seemed overloud.

"Vanaheim," Sigyn announced quietly. She stood very still, but Loki could read the tension in her body, which gave the impression that she wanted nothing so much as to kick off her shoes and run headlong into the waves.

In all his travels with his father and brother, Loki had never visited this realm, and so he paused to survey the land. The sea was very different than what he had known at home. There, the water that ringed Asgard was little more than a grandiose moat. The waterfalls and fountains of the great cities pooled at the edges of the realm, extending only a few dozen yards before plummeting into space below. Even at their widest point, the waters were easily spanned by the Rainbow Bridge, but the Sea of Vanaheim looked endless. It stretched on a far as Loki could see and even then, at the point of the horizon, there was no telltale cloud of moisture to indicate where it fell away.

What passed for "waves" on Asgard seemed like the ripples from a stone thrown into a pool compared with the high, crashing walls of foam that slammed against the Vanaheim beach. Even from a distance, Loki could feel the spray against his cheek and taste a hint of salt on his tongue.

"The tide is coming in," Sigyn said. She scooped Loki's hand into her own and tugged him toward the cliffs.

Loki groaned aloud when he saw a narrow staircase carved into the stone- one that looked twice as steep and half as wide as the path to Noatun.

"Father says that the Vanir are the mothers of the elves…" Loki said in an acid tone, "But I think he's got them confused with mountain goats. You people do love to climb."

"It isn't safe down by the water," Sigyn informed him. "At least, not when the storms blow in…and there are sometimes serpents as well- at least, there used to be. It's safer on the cliffs."

_Easier to watch for Asgardians too,_ Loki added sotto voice- not that their vantage point had helped the Vanir against Odin's armies in the end.

Gritting his teeth, Loki fell into step behind his companion once again. Luckily, the journey wasn't as far as he had feared. At the top of the cliff, the path leveled and led away from the water. It was bordered on either side by yellow flowers and sweet smelling grass.

"Look!" Sigyn said, gesturing behind them.

Loki did as she instructed. The sight of the Vanir Sea was even more impressive from above. Sunlight shimmered across the water which varied in color from pale blue to nearly black.

Sigyn retraced her steps to stand beside him. "The paler part is still the beach when the tide goes out," she said, gesturing as she spoke. "And those lighter patches are sandbars that stretch further out. The darker colors are deeper water…the darkest-"

"-is the bottomless sea," Loki finished for her.

"Yes!" There was an unmistakable note of pride in Sigyn's voice. "That is where the Azimuth was lost."

"It can't really be bottomless then," Loki noted.

Sigyn shrugged. "Perhaps there is another branch of Yddrasil beneath the waves."

"Perhaps," Loki conceded. "It isn't exactly a claim that can be disproved."

"No."

"What is on the other side of the water?" Loki asked, more interested in the width of the sea than its depth.

"Midgard, it is told- but no one has sailed that way in a very long time…since before my grandfather's memory," Sigyn told him. "It may be that the way is closed."

The wind was picking up. A strong gust blew over the cliff and tugged Sigyn's hair from its pins. Objectively, the girl was rather bedraggled, but there was something about the vibrant smile on her face and the way that her native sun glowed against Sigyn's skin that made her look quiet lovely despite her rumpled gown and unkempt hair. Loki stared at her longer than he intended before remembering himself.

"Where are we headed next?"

"We should spend the night in the castle," Sigyn told him. "The way to Svartalfheim is through the dungeons, but we need a chance to rest and eat."

"Why can't we just stop here?" Loki asked, sweeping his arm to indicate the meadow around them. He was weary of walking and the clearing looked ideal for a camp, but Sigyn shook her head.

"It isn't safe out in the open."

"And why not?" Loki asked, pouring the full arrogance of his royal blood into his tone. "You assured me that the Vanir have no plot against Asgard. I cannot see why their prince would not be safe."

"The people of Vanaheim have left this realm for Asgard... darker things have taken their place."

Loki found the pronouncement unduly ominous considering their present circumstances. The sun was still high in the sky. Its golden warmth dripped through the fruit-heavy branches of the trees that lined the street. A faint breeze was at their backs, propelling them down the lane to a snug village at the foot of yet another hill.

The houses in the village were very different from what Loki had seen in Asgard. The Vanir were closer to the earth than their Aesir brethren and had never been known for their metal craft. Rather than building golden towers, the Vanir lived in low-slung cottages with four whitewashed walls made out of shells and clay, reed thatching and little windowpanes of multi-colored sea glass. From a distance, the effect was quite picturesque. However, as he came closer, Loki saw that most of the houses had fallen into disrepair. Several of the roofs had collapsed and some chimneys were toppled over. A few of the homes were almost swallowed by flowering vines.

Despite the fact that the village appeared deserted, Loki could read the tension in Sigyn's body as she led the way through the empty streets. She darted from shadow to shadow until they reached the first castle wall.

Loki craned his neck to look up at the spires of the Vanir palace. It rose up from the village in concentric rings, each smaller and more heavily fortified than the last until it ended in a crystalline spire that flashed in the evening sun.

The walls of the castle were fashioned from the same mixture of clay, ash and shells as the village houses, but the placement of the shells was much more precise. As they walked, Loki made out a pattern. First it was a simple repetition of crosses and lines, but it grew steadily more complex as they spiraled upwards. Crosses became knots. Knots became vines. The vines ultimately coalesced into giant murals that had been painstakingly pieced together from bits of shell and coral and glass.

Like the houses, the castle had clearly seen better days. Large chunks of the walls were missing and, from time to time, a heavy piece of fallen stonework blocked the path. Enough remained for Loki to make out some of what the mosaics depicted. He could see the beginning of Vanaheim- the first sea goddess climbing out of her shell- and then the foundation of the castle being built. There were towering Jotunns fashioned out of blue cockles, light elves with green coral breeches and even the Aesir, engaged in battle, their glinting armor represented by shards of glass.

"There!" Sigyn gestured toward one of the figures- a white-haired Vanir battling a Frost Giant. "It is King Salkin- and the Azimuth!" Most of the crystals that made up the crown had been pried out or worn away, but Loki could still make it out, so heavy that the Vanir king was bent nearly in two as King Laufey rent a giant crack in the ice below.

That was the last of the pictures. Loki imagined that it had been completed not long after the battle took place- perhaps as a tribute to the fallen king- or maybe as Njord's reminder to himself of the price of hubris. Whatever the case, that was where the murals stopped. There was an expanse of plain white wall and then the road ended at a pair of battered wooden doors. Loki and Sigyn stepped inside, into a room that must have been very beautiful in its day.

It was a round chamber. Up above, the crystal spire of the palace caught the light and directed it inward, so that a thousand rainbows danced against the walls and reflected on the blue-glass floor. Giant windows faced the sea. It was breathtaking until Loki looked most closely. Most of the windowpanes had been broken, allowing the salty sea air to come inside. Rotting tapestries and curtains fluttered near the ceilings and the white walls were slimy with damp.

On the far wall, facing the water was a high-backed throne. One of the legs was broken and a heavy gash marred one of the sides, giving the impression that it had been thrown down from its perch before being handed up again, but it had clearly been magnificent once.

"What did it look like before?" Loki asked, wondering if it was Laufey or Odin who had caused the destruction.

Sigyn sighed. "I only wish I knew…I was born after the Great War."

"But your grandfather brought you here."

Sigyn nodded sadly. "Once…as a child."

"When you found the necklace."

She bobbed her head a second time. "It was when the last of our people came to Asgard. I think that grandfather needed to see for himself that Vanaheim was truly finished…or perhaps he merely wanted to say goodbye." She stood in the middle of the room and peered up at the crystal spire. "It seemed bigger back then..."

Sigyn walked to the throne and stroked her hand over the weathered wood. "Grandfather let me sit here once… _only me_...my sisters were so jealous…but they never understood grandfather like I did…I think…if Vanahiem hadn't fallen…" Her voice trailed off abruptly.

"What?" Loki asked, suddenly interested.

Sigyn flushed and looked away. "It doesn't matter. Vanaheim _did_ fall. A little girl's daydreams don't matter."

Loki looked from the battered throne to Sigyn's face, and he felt a shock of recognition when he read her expression.

Loki had worn that look himself too many times to mistake it. Every time that Odin coddled Thor and favored his golden son. Every time the king took Loki's elder brother aside to bestow a bit of royal wisdom of wax poetic about when Thor would be King, the same angry, covetous green fire shone out from Loki's eyes. He knew what Sigyn was feeling: _This should be mine…_ Njord would have named his favorite granddaughter as queen and she would have sat on the throne, staring into the cool blue waters that she loved.

Several moments passed in silence before Sigyn stepped away from the throne. When she did, she didn't look back. "We should get some rest," Sigyn told Loki. "Tomorrow will be another long day."

The door to the kitchen was charmed shut, but Sigyn opened it with a spell. The inside was dusty, but snug. The chimney was sound and it wasn't long before a fire was blazing in the hearth.

Loki dug an apple out of his robes, resigning himself to a meager meal, but Sigyn surprised him with an offer to cook. She left him alone to scamper back down to the water and returned a little later with the makings of a seafood stew.

Loki frowned suspiciously at the bubbling concoction of shellfish and kelp, but they day's exertion had left him too hungry for a finicky appetite. Whether he truly enjoyed the rustic dish or was simply too famished to complain he didn't know, but he gulped down every bite, along with a hunk of bread that Sigyn had carried in her pack.

With a fully belly and weary bones, Loki and Sigyn settled down in front of the fire to sleep. Loki had nearly drifted away when Sigyn's voice broke through the silence.

"Loki? May I have my necklace back?"

At first, he pretended that he hadn't heard, but Sigyn poked his shoulder. "Loki…my piece of the Azimuth…I want it back!"

"Why?" he asked, a little bit crossly. If he returned Sigyn's necklace now, he would only have to take it back when they found the rest of the crown.

"I feel safer when I have it."

"What, _exactly_ , are you afraid of, Sigyn?" Loki certainly hadn't seen anything to cause alarm. Sigyn's paranoia was starting to annoy him.

"I just want it," she pressed.

Loki relented. With a sigh, he reached into his pocket and retrieved the crystal on its silver chain.

"You know…" he drawled, feeling a burst of mischief. "A _real_ princess would have a golden chain," he teased.

Sigyn let out a little howl of indignance and grabbed for the necklace. "I thought you had forgotten that!"

"Forget the worst spanking of my entire life? _Not likely_ ," Loki countered. "You know that you still owe me for that!" He tried to sound harsh but, in reality, he was smiling when he recalled the night that he had first met Sigyn- and first seen her glittering necklace.

Njord had traveled to the palace to give his annual tribute to Odin. He brought his granddaughters along as a special treat. Lofn was the youngest then. She and Syn were merely babies and Loki had no memory of the pair apart from their cribs in the corner of the nursery. Nanna, the eldest, already fancied herself a young lady and, despite being exiled to eat her meals with the palace children, spent the entire visit apart from the others, curled up in a corner with a heavy book.

Sif was recruited to serve as an extra playmate for the girls. She was a longtime fixture of the royal nursery and a loyal playmate of Thor and Loki. While she was eager to spend an evening with the royal princes, Sif was loathe to share their toys with strangers- and even less inclined to give up her authority to assign the roles in the games that they played.

"But I'm a _real_ princess!" Little Sigyn cried, arguing for the part of beautiful hostage instead of fearsome serpent. "I don't want to be a snake!"

Loki was quite keen for Sigyn's request to be granted. He himself was considered begging for a change to play a warrior or a fearsome wizard instead of his usual assignment as Jotunn, giant wolf, or troll.

Sif would hear nothing of it.

"I don't think you _are_ a real princess," she said in a haughty tone. "After all- just look at your dress! My _servants_ have finer rags than that! I bet your sister gave it to you! I bet it isn't even yours!"

Sigyn had obviously been quite pleased with her frock until that moment, because she looked down at her gown in despair. Despite the tears pricking behind Sigyn's angelic blue eyes, the lady Sif continued:

"And your necklace…Why, I think it's just a piece of glass! A _real_ princess would have a golden chain- a golden chain with rubies and diamonds and emeralds…and a _real_ princess would have golden hair like me!"

With that, Sif paused to admire herself in the mirror. As a child, Sif's hair truly had been a marvel: shiny corkscrew curls that flowed down her back like liquid metal. Asgard joked that the dwarves themselves had fashioned her hair out of fine-spun ore. Sif and her mother were both insufferably proud of her crowning glory. It was always braided and twisted into elaborate hairstyles adorned with pretty ribbons and flowers. She never missed a chance to gloat.

" _YOUR_ hair is like an old copper pot…a copper pot full of ugly snakes!" she said maliciously. Her next glance into the mirror was ill-timed, because Sigyn took that opportunity to lunge at her. Of course, Thor instantly jumped into the scrum. A toppled tower of blocks brought the nanny running into the room and got them all sent off to bed without their supper.

The next thing Loki remembered was waking up to Sif's blood-curdling scream.

Loki jumped out of bed immediately and hurried toward the other side of the room to where the girls were sleeping, but he tripped on something hard as he crossed the floor. Loki bent down to pick up the object- which proved a fateful mistake. Loki was staring in confusion at the pair of scissors at the precise moment that Nanny swept back into the room.

"LOKI ODINSON!" the old woman bellowed. "YOU WICKED BOY! YOU'VE REALLY DONE IT NOW!"

Sif was still screaming. Loki looked toward her. That was when he realized that, while Sif was standing next to her bed, her glorious hair remained on the pillow. The blond curls were completely gone. The only thing left on Sif's head was a butchered stubble of inky black.

"I didn't do it!" He proclaimed in instant panic, but it was already too late. Nanny hefted him over her shoulder and started to carry him bodily from the room. The last thing Loki saw before the door slammed shut behind him was Sigyn still tucked up in her bed. Her eyes were closed as though she was sleeping- but a satisfied smile was on her face.

"I _still_ can't believe that I got blamed for that!" Loki told the now-grown Sigyn as they laid in front of the fire. "Sif won't believe me to this day!"

"What makes you think _I'm_ responsible?" Sigyn protested, but she was laughing. Loki didn't dignify the suggestion with a response. "Oh! Allright! I suppose I was…but it isn't my fault that you picked up the scissors!"

"As if anyone would have suspected the blue-eyed princess when they could pin it all on me!"

Abruptly, Sigyn's expression grew serious. "Guilt or innocence doesn't really matter," she said quietly. "Only what people think."


	6. Chapter 6

Loki didn't know, at first, what woke him. It was still deep night when he opened his eyes. Pale slivers of moonlight dripped through cracks in the shuttered window and dying embers glowed in the hearth. Otherwise, the kitchen was veiled in darkness.

Loki tucked his cloak more tightly around his shoulders and started to close his eyes again. His lids were almost shut when it registered that Sigyn wasn't lying beside him.

He was instantly awake. Throwing off his covering, he leaped to his feet and anxiously scanned the room.

"Sigyn?" he called out.

"Shhhhhh!" Sigyn answered immediately in a rough whisper.

Loki followed the sound with his eyes and found her crouching next to the doorway. A rusty kitchen knife was clutched in her hands.

"They'll hear you!"

"What will hear me?" Loki asked impatiently.

Sigyn's face flashed with terror and she made a motion to silence him again, but it was unnecessary.

The door began to shake.

It didn't open. Loki had set the heavy crossbeam himself, but it rattled unsettlingly on its hinges for several seconds before it stopped. The stillness lasted only a heartbeat before it was replaced by the sound of claws dragging over wood and a deep, feline yowl.

Loki's blood ran cold as a pair of fingers reached under the threshold. They were pale and spindly, resembling those of a man but tipped with sharp curved talons.

"Sigyn?" Loki said. His voice was low and anxious. "What is that?"

Even in the darkness, he could tell that all of the blood had drained from her face. She shuffled backwards, colliding with his chest as she moved away from the doorway. She was still brandishing the knife in front of her tiny body.

"Ettins," Sigyn explained in a breathy whisper. "They must have smelled the smoke."

"Ettins?" Loki put a hand on Sigyn's shoulder. He could feel the shudders that ran along her spine with every scratch on the door. "What is an Ettin?" She didn't answer. He couldn't tell if she was purposefully ignoring him or was too transfixed on the door to notice and so he pressed her harder. "Are they Gods? Demons? Beasts?"

"Yes," Sigyn answered, unhelpfully. She bit her lip and then turned toward Loki, her wide, anxious eyes boring into his face. "They live in the swamp caves and in mud bogs…they come out at night to feed."

"What do they eat?" Loki asked.

"Meat."

For once, Loki did not require a further explanation.

The fingers continued to dig under the door for a few minutes longer before they were finally withdrawn. There was another unnerving howl, but it was followed by the sound of receding footsteps.

"It must have lost interest," Loki said.

Sigyn nodded, but she didn't look convinced. Loki coaxed her back toward the fireplace. He threw a reed mat on top of the ashes in an effort to coax them back to life. It took a while, but he was able to rekindle the flames. He fed a few pieces of broken furniture to the fire, assuring himself that it would last until morning before he returned to Sigyn's side.

"Is that all you have to defend yourself?" he asked, noticing the way that she was still clutching the knife with both hands.

Sigyn nodded.

"No one taught you how to use a sword?" he asked.

"No. It's not in the standard curriculum for impoverished young princesses, I'm afraid."

"Throwing knives? Daggers?"

Sigyn shook her head.

"You don't know how to use anything sharp at all?"

Sigyn's lips twisted into a smirk. "I'm deadly with an embroidery needle."

Under different circumstances, Loki might have laughed at the wry pronouncement, but this was deadly serious.

"Here." He pried the paring knife out of Sigyn's clutches and replaced it with a deadly stiletto dagger that he drew from his boot. "That won't help you unless you are very close, but it's better than nothing….just try to stay behind me if they come back again."

Sigyn nodded at Loki's instructions.

He had barely finished speaking when the scratching started again.

They both turned towards the door.

"What are their vulnerabilities?" Loki asked.

"Sunlight," Sigyn offered. "That's why they don't come out during the day….and fire. Anything bright. They don't see well in a glare, and they can barely hear at all."

"But-?" Loki pressed, grateful for the advantages but well aware that there had to be a catch.

"They track by smell…and their skin is as thick as armor….and their teeth-!" Sigyn's voice trailed off, but the shudder that ran through her body was more than an adequate description.

The scratching on the door increased, and something heavy thudded against the wood.

"It's trying to ram its way in."

Loki's body tensed. His hands hovered over his knives as he waited to see if the Ettin would push through.

There was another thump.

Wood splintered.

Glass shattered.

Sigyn screamed.

Loki realized almost too late that the sounds hadn't come from the direction of the door- one of the creatures had come through the kitchen window instead.

Loki spun around and dodged as a huge pale shape came crashing toward him. It crossed the room in a blur and jumped effortlessly up onto a table where it crouched on its haunches and hissed.

Loki didn't hesitate. Two of his knives flew, burying themselves in the creature's chest and shoulder- but it didn't fall. With a wounded bellow, the Ettin charged forward again. Loki threw another dagger, but this one glanced harmlessly off of its leathery skin.

"Sigyn! Move!" Loki called out when he realized where the beast was heading. The warning didn't come soon enough. She was cornered. The Ettin made a screechy wail of triumph and then lunged, toppling Sigyn to the ground before it spread its monstrous jaws and bent forward to feed.

"SIGYN!" Loki rushed forward. He drew his sword and buried it in the creature's back again and again…There was a rush of sensations: the monster's filthy reek, the sticky warmth of blood, the glint of steel, the taste of bile and Sigyn's piercing wail. Second stretched on torturously long. Then, like a piece of elastic snapping back into place, time sped up again. The Ettin fell still.

Loki barely took the time to unsheath his sword from the creature's flesh before he shoved it aside.

Loki's heart felt like it stopped when he looked down at Sigyn. He didn't realize, at first, that the blood that soaked Sigyn's gown belonged to the monster and not to her. She was completely drenched. While Loki had been stabbing the beast from behind, Sigyn had jabbed the dagger into the Ettin's neck and blood had rained down on her skin. It was a relief to see that Sigyn was breathing. Loki ran his hands over the sodden dress, searching for wounds. There were some deep scratches, but nothing worse.

"Sigyn?" Loki said, shaking her shoulders to snap her out of her shock.

She finally came to her senses. She peered up into Loki's eyes. He could see tears glimmering at the tips of her lashes but, to her credit, she didn't let them fall.

She pulled her legs out from under the Ettin's corpse. "We killed it…" she said, her voice full of wonder.

Loki finally stopped to examine his kill. The beast had some of the features of a feral man. Its skin was hairless and translucent white. Although it had attacked on all fours, it's back limbs were longer than those in front. It had an undersized head that sported a flat nose, holes where ears should be, tiny, bead-like eyes and a gaping mouth. It was the last feature that caught his attention. Each tooth was as long as his finger, razor sharp- and there were more than he could count.

Sigyn and Loki both flinched as a howl drifted through the window and there was another crash against the kitchen door.

"They are coming back," Sigyn said.

Loki nodded. "We have to get out of here."

They both looked at the window that the Ettin had crashed through- and then toward the rattling door.

"Which way?" Sigyn asked, but Loki didn't have an answer. He was still pondering the question when the crossbar finally gave way.

Two more Ettins bounded into the room.

"This way!" Sigyn said, herding him toward the shadows in back of the room.

The Ettins didn't seem to pay the pair any notice. Instead, they pounced on their fallen brother. Loki's stomach felt queasy as the largest of the pair closed his jaws around the corpse and wrenched off one of the arms.

"We have to get out _now_ ," he said firmly.

Sigyn nodded. He didn't know if she realized it or not, but she was twisting her necklace in her hands.

"Ask it what to do, Sigyn," Loki instructed.

Sigyn blinked. A look of confusion flashed across her face. Then, just as quickly, it was replaced by one of surprise.

"Here!" she hissed, grabbing his hand and dragging him backwards. She pushed open a wooden cabinet, exposing the small pulley system that had been used to ferry heavy trays to the dining room below.

They had no idea what awaited in the other room, but Loki thought that it was better than waiting to be the Ettin's next course. He climbed inside with Sigyn and took hold of the ropes. Together, they began to lower the platform. The pace was excruciatingly slow. They could still hear the snarls of the two Ettins as they fought over the meal.

The elevator shaft was pitch black. Loki didn't know if they had gone an inch or a mile- or how far there was to go. He kept putting one hand over the other, feeding more slack to the pulley- until they reached the end of the rope.

"What do we do now?" he asked.

"We have to let go." Sigyn said, confirming his fears. She swallowed hard. "On three. One….two…. _three."_

The last of the rope slipped through Loki's fingers. His stomach jumped to his throat as they went into freefall. His body tensed- but much sooner than he had expected, they landed with a crash.

"Are you okay?" Sigyn asked him.

Loki nodded and then looked warily above them. He couldn't see anything, but the commotion had drawn some attention. He could hear the Ettins up above.

"Let's go," he told her. With a whispered spell, a ball of green flame erupted in his hands. It gave just enough light to see another sliding door in front of them. He pushed it open to reveal the battered remains of the dining hall. "Lead the way!"

Sigyn darted through the dining room and onto a flight of stairs. "To the dungeons!" she instructed Loki. He followed her down the spiral stair without pausing, trying to ignore the sinister rustling and skittering that came from the shadows around them. "Don't look behind us!" Sigyn commanded.

Of course, this caused Loki to glance over his shoulder. There was movement just outside the circle of light that his magic provided. Beyond that, he could only make out a large, sinister black shape that seemed to be moving closer.

"Hurry!" Sigyn urged him.

Loki didn't know how they could keep going down, but the staircase didn't seem to end. Faster and faster, lower and lower they wound until they finally reached the mouth of yet another cave.

Loki heard a snarl behind them and looked over his shoulder again. Now he could make out four shapes….

"Don't!" Sigyn told him. "We're almost there!"

_They weren't going to make it,_ Loki realized. One of the figures jumped forward.

"RUN!" Loki shouted, flinging the ball of flame at his attacker and pushing Sigyn with his hand. She moved as quickly as she could, but balked when they reached a place where the pathway split in two. "Which way?" Loki asked her.

Sigyn bit her lip. "I don't know!" she wailed.

A few more fireballs kept the pursuers at bay, but Loki knew it wouldn't last too long. "Pick one!" Loki screamed, knowing that they didn't even have time to use the necklace.

Sigyn went right- just as Loki was attacked again.

He hit the side of the cave, hard- but Sigyn pulled him back before his opponent could strike again. The creature squealed in anger. It reared up to full height. Loki conjured another fireball. The figure was illuminated just long enough to identify it as a hideous troll. He flung the magic flames at the monster's head- but this time it managed to dodge. The spell hit one of the stalactites instead. The massive slab of rock came lose and smashed into the troll's skull.

It was the start of a chain reaction.

"Don't stop!" Loki commanded as they both struggled forward. Behind them, a hail of rocks fell down from the ceiling of the cave. It made a sound like thunder and kicked up a chocking cloud of dust. Sigyn and Loki didn't stop running until it was quiet again. Only then did they stop to catch their breath.

Sigyn lowered herself onto a slab of rock and rubbed her blood-smeared face with the hem of her cloak. She pointed to the ground. A faint pink mist swirled around their feet. "I think it is Yddrasil!" she said, her voice full of relief. "This must be the right way."

Loki swung his hand in a wide arch and the green fire roared larger, illuminating the entire cave. The path continued on in the direction they were walking, swirling ever deeper into the ground. In other direction, there was nothing but an impassible pile of stones. The rock slide had sealed the exit shut.

"I hope you're right." Loki told her. "Because there isn't any way back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N- Ettins…I didn't make up the name, but I DID make up the creature. I was looking for a Norse monster, but they all tended to be either Myth!Loki's children, frost giants, or trolls (in fact, "Ettin" is thought to be a derivative of "jotun" and probably means giant, which is boring). After Harry Potter, I can't type plain old "troll" without hearing. "TROLL IN THE DUNGEON" in my head (which is probably why I *did* put an actual troll in the dungeon after all). In any event, the source I consulted said that Ettins are Icelandic cat demon giants, which sounded kind of cool. Interesting trivia: Grendel's mama (of Beowulf and Grendel fame" was said to be an Ettin…which is sort of where I got the man-eating swamp creature angle.
> 
> Anyhow, the next chapter will be less action and more character development. Loki and Sigyn are taking their sweet time falling in love :P
> 
> Thank you SO MUCH for your comments to the last chapter. They really encourage me to write!


	7. Down

Sigyn stared at the huge pile of rocks which blocked the path back to Vanaheim. The muffled sound of bellows and crashes filtered through from the other side. The troll was obviously distressed at losing his prey. Sigyn could hear him digging and pushing against the pile, but his attempts were futile. Loki was right. There wasn't any way to go back.

"We need to keep moving," Loki said, nudging her toward the trail. The cave was only wide enough to pass through single file, and so she fell in step behind him.

The green flame that Loki had cast bobbed in front of them, illuminating the trail and casting the rest of the cave in harsh shadows. From time to time, Sigyn could see the fire reflected in small, beady eyes peering out of crevices that they passed. There was constant rustling and scratching behind them, but she couldn't make out the source. Behind them was total darkness. The emptiness was unsettling. Sigyn's skin prickled and there was tension in the middle of her back. Her body was tensed in anticipation of attack, but nothing ever came.

It was difficult for Sigyn to believe that only a few hours ago, she had been standing in the sunshine on Vanaheim…or was she still on Vanaheim now? Boundaries were blurred and meaningless here. The road they travelled wound back and forth through the nine realms. For now, it was twisting down.

Down. Down. Down. Sigyn's calves began to ache with the strain of standing upright on the steep grade as they descended ever deeper into the pit. It required a supreme effort to keep moving forward. In addition to her protesting muscles, the dried blood on Sigyn's skin had started to itch. The fabric of her dress was stiff and chafing, and the deep scratches on her arms and shoulders had opened and started to bleed.

Sigyn didn't know how much longer that she could keep walking. She was relieved when the path finally leveled. Craning her ears, she could hear rushing water nearby.

Loki lifted his hands and spread the magical fire again. In its emerald light, Sigyn could make out that the path had widened into a chamber. Water was pouring down from the ceiling in one corner. It splashed over a pile of rocks and fed into a narrow stream. The banks on either side were pebbled, but mostly flat.

"We should stop and rest," Loki announced, tossing his pack and cape onto the ground. Sigyn nodded gratefully. She unpacked her own meager kit while Loki paced the length of the room, securing the openings and setting green fire on the highest shelves of rock to chase away some of the gloom. When he was finished, he walked to the stream and washed his hands and face.

Sigyn followed his example, using the cool water to scrub away the Ettin blood that had dried on her arms and neck.

"You should wash your dress," Loki said, glancing over at the blood-crusted mess. "That can't be comfortable and it's starting to smell."

Sigyn opened her mouth, intending to deliver a caustic response, but her tongue did not cooperate. Nothing came out. Very quickly, her indignation was overcome by embarassment at the thought that Loki thought that she _smelled_ \- even if she did have a good excuse.

She scooped some of the water onto the bodice of her gown and rubbed the fabric.

"That's never going to work," Loki interrupted. "You'll have to take it off."

Sigyn hoped that the light from the flames was too dim to betray the flush that spread across her features. "I can't take it off!"

"Why not? The cave is warm enough. Surely you don't take baths in your dresses at home?" Loki's tone was very calm and rational- but Sigyn thought she caught a glimmer of _something_ in his eyes. "I don't understand the problem."

"But you're here!" she finally blurted.

This time Sigyn was certain that she was not imagining the mischievous smile on Loki's lips.

"Oh, it won't bother me," he assured her, his tone practically daring her to protest that it would bother _her._

Sigyn realized that she had fallen into one of Loki's famous traps. She didn't know which action would make her a bigger fool: to fuss and protest like a prissy maid, or to brazen things out. No doubt he expected the former. Sigyn had hardly distinguished herself at the castle with her damsel-in-distress act in the kitchen.

The dress _was_ uncomfortable. Sigyn considered that factor as she weighed her options. She didn't know how much longer they had to travel and it would only get worse if she didn't wash it…Besides, it wasn't as if the prince had never seen a woman's body before.

Sigyn didn't understand the pang of jealousy that she felt when she thought about Loki with his lovers, but it incited her to act. Sigyn was a virtuous maiden, just as women of her age and rank were expected to be- but she was certainly no prude!

Sigyn met Loki's gaze with defiance- and then tugged the gown up over her head.

A polite young man would have averted his eyes. If Sigyn was honest with herself, she would admit that she did not expect Loki to be polite. Perhaps she was even counting on it. She was willing to admit a small degree of satisfaction from the way that his eyes widened and his breath hitched at the sight of her creamy skin.

Sigyn turned her head away and bent over the stream to wash, but she could still feel Loki's lustful raking over her body. She ought to be disgusted. Instead, she felt a surge of power. A prince of Asgard desired her! Perhaps she was not as different from Freya as she thought. It was easy to understand how this feeling could become addictive.

Sigyn took her time scrubbing the last of the Ettin from her skin and hair. She sat back on her knees, allowing Loki one final look as she knotted her wet hair on top of her head. Then she reached out her hand toward him.

Loki swallowed hard.

"Give me your cape," she commanded, gratified again when he scrambled to obey her command. Sigyn wrapped the green velvet around her body once and tucked it in at her chest, forming a makeshift gown before kneeling to scrub her dress and cloak.

Eventually, Loki tore his gaze away. By the time that Sigyn had finished washing, he had built a real fire in the center of their camp. Sigyn had no idea where he had found the wood and tinder- perhaps he had used his magic- but she didn't really care. Unlike the magical fires, which offered only light, the natural fire gave off a cheerful warmth. Sigyn draped her clothes across a stone near the flames and then unbound her hair again. She raked her fingers through the damp curls, spreading them in front of the heat to dry.

"Here," Loki offered her an apple and a hunk of stale bread which she accepted gratefully. The meal was simple, but welcome after the arduous day. After eating, Sigyn settled down next to the fire and fell into a dreamless sleep.

She awoke hours later to the feel of soft velvet and the scent of pine trees and ash. Briefly disoriented, it took her a moment to realize that both sensations were attributable to the fact that she was still wrapped up in Loki's cape.

On the other side of the fire, Loki looked far less comfortable. He was still asleep, curled up into a tight ball. Without his cape to use as a blanket and pillow, he had been forced to sleep on the bare cave floor. Sigyn felt a little bit guilty until she remembered the way that he had teased her the night before.

Enough time had passed for Sigyn to feel embarrassed by her own behavior. She hoped that Loki wouldn't tell anyone. Freya was notorious enough for their entire family on her own.

Sigyn's clothes were mostly dry. She hurriedly put them back on and went to the stream to wash her face. She dried her skin with the hem of her cloak and started to turn back toward camp when she saw something odd out of the corner of her eye.

Sigyn squinted through the darkness. On the other side of the stream, near the place that the water came through the ceiling, she thought that she could make out strange markings reflecting the light of the fire. She jumped across the water to investigate more closely. As she moved closer, the squiggles resolved into individual symbols. It was writing of some sort- but it disappeared when her shadow fell across the wall.

"Dwarvish." Sigyn spun around at the sound of Loki's voice. He was walking toward her, awake now- although he looked rather worse for wear. His normally impeccable hair was mussed and his clothes were rumpled. "The runes will only show in firelight..."

Sigyn stepped back. As soon as her shadow left the wall, the symbols appeared again. They glowed and flickered as if they were made of fire themselves.

"Do you know what it says?"

"It's a warning," Loki answered. "It says 'An unpleasant death awaits he who trespasses on the lands of Gloeim'". Despite the unpleasant sentiment, he was smiling.

"And that's…good?" Sigyn asked uncertainly.

"Yes!" Loki put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed them. "It means that we've made it to Svartalheim! I thought that this place looked familiar!"

"Familiar?" Sigyn's eyes widened. "You've been here before?"

"Oh, yes," Loki said, a thread of weariness in his voice. "I've had more than my share of dealings with the dwarves."

Sigyn Loki started back toward camp. Sigyn scurried to match his long strides.

"Do you know Gloeim?"

"I know _of_ him…but dwarves are all the same for the most part."

"How's that?"

" _Short_ ," Loki responded dryly.

Sigyn's lips twisted into a pout, but Loki probably didn't notice. He was already working to dismantle their camp. He threw dirt onto the fire and gathered up his pack. Instead of starting back on the trail, however, he went to the stream and started sorting through stones.

"What are you doing?"

"Working on our plan…" Loki answered. He held one of the rocks up in the light, turning it over as if he was looking for something and ultimately tossing it back into the water wish a splash. "You asked me earlier how all dwarves are the same…well, the thing that is the same about dwarves is that they all love one thing."

"Gold?" Sigyn suggested.

"Gold." Loki nodded and stopped speaking again as he finally seemed to find a stone that met his approval. He hefted it in his hand, checking its weight and then held it up to his ear.

"But those rocks aren't gold!" Sigyn said, confused.

"No." Loki shook his head in agreement. "Not yet."

* * *


	8. The Dwarf Village

The path through Svartalheim was much easier than the road that they had followed the day before. Almost as soon as they passed into Gloeim's lands, the path broadened. Most of the walls of the cave had been rubbed smooth and set with brightly glowing stones that filled the cave with light. The further they walked, the more that they encountered signs of habitation: a little cart laden with glittering ore, the distant chime of pickaxes striking stone and even an abandoned boot, but none of the dwarves were in sight.

The path began to climb. Occasionally, they would glimpse small tunnels leading off to the left or to the right, but they kept to the main trail as it twisted through narrow corridors, large rooms and soaring caverns.

They stopped to rest when they reached another stream. Sigyn crouched to take a drink of water and Loki stooped to inspect some dwarvish symbols that were carved into a rock, but they both stiffened and spun around at the sound of a nearby voice.

Loki motioned for Sigyn to stand back in the shadows while he went to investigate the noise. One hand hovered over his throwing knives as he inched forward. He strained his ears as he moved closer. The sounds were coming from around a boulder ahead of him. At first, he couldn't make out the words. They were spoken in an odd, cadence that moved up and down in pitch. It was…singing?

Loki relaxed slightly when he realized that he was listening to a dwarfish nursery song. He peeked around the giant rock and then the rest of the tension leaked from his body when he spied a little dwarf girl in the adjoining room.

The girl stood no more than two feet tall and was just as big around. She had bright golden hair that was plaited into two thick braids, blue eyes, and a tiny mouth that was as plump and red as a cherry. The bright color of her lips was enhanced by the yellow beard that grew on her chin. Like the hair on her head, it was neatly parted and wound into two short braids tied off with ribbons. The girl was picking mushrooms off of the wall and tossing them into a wicker basket.

Loki watched her for a little while. Then, convinced that she was alone, he gestured for Sigyn to join him, and together they stepped into view.

"Hello there!" Loki called out, showing both of his hands to the stranger as a sign that he was not a threat.

The little dwarf stopped singing, but she didn't run away. Her huge blue eyes grew even larger as they drank in the sight of the strangers. Loki and Sigyn must have met her approval because she dropped her basket and hurried forward.

"Asgardians!" she, her voice full of surprise and excitement. She stared at them for several silent seconds and then dropped into a sketchy sort of curtsey. "Well met! I am Hilde, Hooki's daughter. What are you doing here? It is very strange to find travelers in my uncle's caverns."

Loki dipped his chin toward the little girl. "I am Loki Odinsson, Prince of Asgard...and this is Princess Sigyn Freyasdottor of Vanaheim. We did not mean to trespass upon your uncle's property but we have lost our way. Perhaps you could help us?"

"Lost your way?" the girl said under her breath, almost as if she were speaking to herself. "Lost indeed to wander here! I don't think I'm supposed to talk to strangers...but I never met any strangers before, and you don't look very frightening." she stopped muttering abruptly to look Sigyn straight in the eyes. "Are you a real princess?" she demanded.

Loki snickered. "People keep asking you that, Sigyn. You must not look very authentic."

Sigyn rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to answer, but Hilde was already speaking again.

"You look a little bit like a princess, but you don't have a crown. If I was a princess, I would have a huge gold crown with rubies and emeralds and diamonds and sapphires and..."

"She does have a crown," Loki interrupted, "But she can't wear it right now because we're on a secret mission."

Hilde's tiny mouth formed a small "o" of excitement. "A secret mission?"

"Yes, we have to get back to Asgard before-" Loki stopped speaking abruptly.

"Before-?" Hilde prodded, leaning forward.

"I can't say," Loki said with exaggerated solemnity. He threw a rather obvious glance at the pack he was carrying, patted the leather and then pointedly looked away. "I've said too much already. It is a critical mission for Odin Allfather. We don't have a moment to lose, so if you could just help us be on our way to Asgard, or perhaps to Chief Hambli's caverns-"

"But I don't know the way!" Hilde said sadly. Her chubby fingers pulled anxiously at her braided beard. "Father might? Or Uncle..."

"Would you take us to them?" Loki prodded.

The girl quickly nodded her head. "Oh, yes!" she answered, clearly enraptured by the idea of being part of a secret mission. "Our house is just a little way down the road. Father won't be there, but mother will. Mother can take you to uncle. He's her brother, you know- her little brother. I don't have any brother's of my own, I just-"

Loki tuned out as Hilde continued to talk. He couldn't decide if she was a natural chatterbox or merely starved for conversation. In any event, she barely paused to draw breath as she guided them down the pathway toward her home. He smiled to himself. The dwarves would knowable way to Chief Hambli. After that, it would be easy to take Azimuth. Finally, his goal was in sight. Soon Loki would be headed home.

The thought of heading home caused Loki's thoughts to shift to Sigyn. He wondered what would happen to her when they returned to Asgard. He had no idea how much time had passed in the kingdom since they had left. Regardless of whether it was weeks or days, Loki did not think that her family would not look kindly upon the decision to disappear, unchaperoned, with a man. Perhaps he could do something to help her? Loki and Sigyn had not spoken often during the long journey to Svartalheim, but theirs had been a comfortable silence. Even without words, Loki felt that they had come to know one another- in essentials, at least. On the surface Sigyn was meek and biddable, but a core of steel ran underneath. Sigyn was intelligent, resourceful and creative. Loki saw the light in her face when she spoke of the glory of Vanaheim and understood her longing for so much more than her life promised to offer- but he feared that she lacked the will to make a change. Sigyn's loyalty to her family- misplaced in Loki's opinion- seemed to drive everything she did, and he had no doubt that she would quietly submit to whatever atonement they demanded for this adventure. It frustrated Loki to imagine Sigyn's future. She would be wasted cloistered in Noatun for the rest of her life, tending her grandfather and sisters- or, worse, bound in marriage to the sort of oafish Vanir warrior that her family would probably try to thrust upon her to quiet the scandal of her time away from home.

 _Sigyn is not my problem_... Loki told himself, trying to focus his thoughts on dealing with the dwarves, but his traitorous eyes kept slipping sideways to watch her walking beside him, and his memory taunted him regularly with the image of her naked body bathed in the light of the fire the night before.

Luckily, Loki's torture was short lived. It wasn't long before the dwarf village came into view.

The path rose and then dipped sharply, emptying into a huge chasm that was traversed by a stream. Craning his neck, Loki could make out a crack in the ceiling and pale rays of sunshine filtering in from the surface high above. The watery light caught on flecks of metal and chunky crystals on its way down the shaft causing the walls to glitter like a field of stars.

The dwarf homes were more like burrows than the houses that surface dwellers used. Their rounded metal doorways lined either side of the path, stacked on top of one another like cells in a honeycomb. Above the highest doorways, small holes leaked smoke from the cooking fires inside, allowing it to rise up toward the outside world.

Hilde stopped at one of the doorways and flung it open.

"Mummy!" she called into the hole. "Come and see what I found!"

At first, there wasn't any answer. Eventually, however, a dwarf woman appeared at the doorway, clutching an iron cooking spoon and muttering under her breath.

The woman was obviously Hilde's mother. The features were the same: large, wide-set eyes, button nose and tiny mouth. She stood at least a foot taller than her daughter but, like Hilde, was every bit as broad as tall. Perhaps her hair had once been golden, but it had faded to a dirty brown with streaks of gray. The hair on her head was twisted into a tight bun at the nape of her neck. Her beard, which stretched all the way down to her lap, was brushed straight and bound at the end with a gemstone clasp. The most striking difference from Hilde, however, was the woman's expression. Her eyes were narrowed and her lips were pursed in clear displeasure. She shot Loki a suspicious look and then gave Sigyn one of outright disgust.

"Look, mummy!" Hilde said, clearly oblivious to the woman's annoyance. "I found them while I was looking for mushrooms! They're from Asgard! Isn't that exciting? They're on a secret mission for Odin- oh! But I probably wasn't supposed to say that!" Hilde paused just long enough to flush before prattling on, explaining to her mother that Sigyn was a 'real princess' and that she had been enlisted to help the strangers on a secret quest.

Loki was paying more attention to their surroundings than the girl. Hilde's voice had caught the attention of others. All around the cavern, little doors were opening and dwarf faces were peeping out of their burrows to gawk at the strangers.

"It's not natural for land dwellers to be here," Hilde's mother said. She seemed to be intentionally ignoring the pair and looked only at her daughter. "They can't be up to any good. Tell them to get along on their own."

"But they don't know the way!" Hilde wailed.

"More likely they don't have food for their bellies and are looking for a handout," the woman said sternly. "Better they get on their way."

"But mummy! At least let me take them to papa or uncle! They said-!"

"Nevermind what they said!" the woman barked with a note of finality. "They're beggars at best and thieves at worst! Now, come inside and do your chores."

The woman grabbed Hilde's elbow and began to drag her into the house. The small round doorway was almost closed when Loki spoke again.

"We could pay you."

The woman froze, clearly tempted.

"See, mummy!" Hilde said, excitedly.

"Pay us what?" the woman demanded.

"Gold." Loki reached into his pocked and displayed a handful of coins. As he had hoped, the woman's face lit up with greed. "This- and more when we reach my father…if you help us."

Loki turned his hand to the side so that the coins slid from one palm to the other in a stream of gold. The tinkling of metal was too much for the dwarf wife to resist.

"Very well," the woman relented. "Hilde, go and fetch your uncle." She turned to Loki and Sigyn. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt anything if you rest inside a while... _for a price._ "

"Of course," Loki said in his most gracious voice. He dipped his head in a polite bow.

The dwarf woman stood aside and gestured the pair of Asgardians into the house.

Loki had to bend over almost double to fit through the doorway, and he couldn't stand up straight once he was inside. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting inside the dwelling- it was even darker than it had been in the cave and it smelled sooty and damp. He would have vastly preferred to remain outside, but then he reminded himself of his plan and continued forward.

Hilde's mother led them through the house to a carved-out hollow at the rear. The room was a stomach-turning amalgamation of cooking area and barn. The hearth took up one whole side and water trickled into a basin on the wall. A simple worktable stood near the fire, completing the simple kitchen. Two plucked chickens were nailed to a wooden brace that traversed the ceiling, dripping blood onto the floor. A few more birds were roaming freely around the room and a spindly little goat was tied in the corner.

"Dwarvish hospitality at its finest," he spoke under his breath.

Beside him, Sigyn had just caught sight of a loaf of bread covered with flies and was turning slightly green.

Their hostess acted as though nothing were amiss. She tossed down a pair of dirty braided rugs and then spoke to Loki. "Hilde will be back with my husband directly," she said curtly. She wanted the gold, but she didn't bother to pretend that she enjoyed the company. "There's water in the basin and stew in the pot." As she said this, she held out her hand expectantly.

Loki sighed and dumped the coins into her hand.

Satisfied, the woman waddled away, closing the door behind her.

"What was that about?" Sigyn asked as soon as they were alone. "I thought we were looking for the Azimuth? You told them that we want to know the way back to Asgard?"

"Patience," Loki said calmly. "I know what I'm doing. They're all a bunch of greedy little beggars. They won't let us go until they figure out if there is money in it for them. They'll take us to Hambli."

"What makes you so certain?"

Loki smiled. "I've had my share of dealings with dwarves…Besides- he's the only one who can afford our dragon's egg."

"Dragon's egg?" Sigyn gasped, blinking in surprise. "What do you-!"

She stopped talking at the sound of movement outside the door.

"The Dragon's egg that we're bringing back from Muspleheim," Loki said, indicating with his eyes that Sigyn should play along. His voice was suddenly much louder than it needed to be. Sigyn took the hint. She fell silent and watched in astonishment as Loki took out one of the rocks that he had collected that morning and carefully placed it in the ashes of the hearth. "I'm putting it in the fireplace to keep it warm so that it can hatch. We have to keep it secret, Sigyn," he said, his volume still raised. "We absolutely cannot let the dwarves know about the egg."

Sigyn opened her mouth to reply again, but before she could speak, the door swung open. Hilde and her mother bustled in again.

Loki smiled to himself when he noticed their expression. They were trying _too hard_ to look innocent. It was obvious that they had been listening at the door. He saw the older dwarf's eyes cast greedily around the room and so he made a show of putting his boot over the place where he had hidden the egg. He was certain that she noticed.

"Come on, then," the woman said irritably, her eyes fixed on Loki's boot. "The men have returned from the mines."

"You go ahead, Sigyn," Loki said. "I have to…er….collect our belongings."

"There's no thieves in this house!" Hilde's mother snapped irritably.

"I meant no disrespect!" Loki said as he _subtly-but-not-really_ scooped the rock back up and put it in his pocket. "Please, lead the way."


	9. Hambli

The dwarf wife led the way back through her house to the roadway outside. A large clutch of dwarf men was gathered there.

The men were fresh from the mines. Their skin was marred with soot and their beards glittered with dust from gold and gems. Most of them were clutching miniature pickaxes and shovels which they brandished like weapons. Sigyn eyed the implements warily and would have faltered, but Loki placed his hand reassuringly on the small of her back and propelled her forward.

The expression of the dwarf men changed when Sigyn stepped into their midst. Before her arrival, their conversation had been an angry buzz. But the sight of the woman changed the tenor of their discussion. Although she didn't understand dwarvish, Sigyn required no translator for the throaty catcalls and purred compliments which replaced the shouts from a moment before.

The dwarf fascination with Asgardian women was well-known, even to Sigyn- but it was easier to stomach from a comfortable distance. Sigyn stayed close to Loki's side, but it didn't stop the dwarves from stroking her hair and dress and leaning forward to smell her like she was a succulent dish about to be put on the table. She had felt cleaner covered with Ettin blood than she did under their roaming paws.

At last, Sigyn and Loki reached the front of the group. Sigyn slipped behind the prince, using his body as a barrier between herself and the lustful dwarves. It took a few moments for Loki to regain their attention, but he was finally able to explain their plight.

Loki's plan seemed to be working. The dwarfs kept asking about their purpose and suggesting that they had something to hide, but Loki evaded their questions. It ended just as he had predicted. The dwarves decided to take the strangers to their chief and let Hambli decide what to do.

Sigyn kept close beside Loki as they threaded through narrow passageways and up winding stairs on their way to Hambli's palace. Occasionally, one of the dwarf men would dare to pluck at Sigyn's gown or stroke her hair, but Loki's glares and Sigyn's slaps held them mostly at bay.

Hambli's palace was truly a sight to behold. The first sign of their arrival was a great hall of stalactites and stalagmites that had fused into columns. The pillars were carved with intricate designs and studded with shiny gems. The hallway led to a huge domed throne room. In the center of the ceiling, a shaft ran all the way up to the surface. It was cleverly lined with mirrors so that the sunlight made it all the way to the bottom and it bounced off a mosaic of gems that were set in the ceiling.

The floor of the hall was paved in semi-precious stones. A pattern of opals and sapphires led all eyes to a great golden throne that was set directly under the shaft of light. The reflection of sunlight on the metal was too intense to look at for long. The chair itself was mammoth. Although narrower than Odin's throne, it was much higher. Even a frost giant would require a ladder to perch in its seat, which was higher than two tall men. It was upholstered with velvet cushions which only added to its height. The chair was so large, in fact, that it nearly swallowed its occupant. Sigyn had to look twice before she noticed the squat, swarthy little man that was perched in the middle of the pillows.

The dwarf- who could only be Hambli- extended a golden scepter and their escorts hurried forward to state their case. Hambli listened to them chatter in dwarvish for a while and then gestured for Loki and Sigyn to step forward.

Like the other male dwarves, Sigyn felt as if Hambli was undressing her with his gaze. Happily, however, she didn't hold his attention for long. His dark gaze shifted to Loki and he visibly jolted with recognition.

"Greetings, Loki Lie-Smith," he drawled with displeasure. "It is many years since you have graced my halls."

"Too many," Loki said politely, but he was answered with an incredulous snort.

"For you, perhaps," Hambli answered. His beady eyes slipped sideways to Sigyn again and he gave her another leer. "Although, this time it seems that you brought some sugar to blunt the sour taste of your company. Who is this glittering ruby?"

Loki answered through a clenched jaw. "Sigyn Freyasdotter."

"Freyasdotter?"

Sigyn's skin began to burn in shame as she watched the dwarf's face light up when he placed her mother's name. Sigyn had always hoped that the rumors about how Freya obtained Brísingamen, her famous necklace, were untrue, but Hambli's lecherous grin did not leave her much hope. Whatever remained was extinguished when he spoke again.

"And is your mother enjoying her necklace, my little nugget? Perhaps you came in search of one of your own? As I'm sure your mother told you, our prices are very reasonable and our customers are… _supremely satisfied._ "

Sigyn was grateful when Loki interrupted.

"We did not seek your halls, Chief Hambli. We are merely lost. We wish to return to my father. Please honor your vows to his hall and show us the way."

"Lost, Liesmith?" Hambli said in a disbelieving tone. "Perhaps you merely wished to pass through my realm undetected."

"Why should we wish to do that?"

"Because you are transporting something valuable?"

Sigyn was impressed with Loki's acting skills. His eyes bulged and he swallowed hard as if he were truly shocked by the accusation. She was tempted to laugh, but wisely contained herself.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Loki said, defiantly.

Hambli's already ruddy complexion darkened. "Do not attempt to deceive me!" he bellowed. "My men have already informed me that you travel from Muspelheim! They claim that you found a dragon's egg. I know this already. Do not try my patience with your tricks."

"Well," Loki responded with a sneer. "If you take all my words for lies, I do not know why you waste your time speaking with me at all. Your men are mistaken. Princess Sigyn and I were lost on our way from Vanaheim and all I carry in my pack is a simple stone plucked from one of your streams."

Sigyn was shocked by Loki's declaration of the truth- even more so when Hambli refused to believe it.

The little dwarf chief made a growling sound and lurched up out of his seat. For a moment, Sigyn thought that he would topple over the edge and go crashing to the ground but he kept his balance on the edge of the seat and glared down at Loki.

"Do you think that I am such a fool as to believe a story like that?"

"Whether you are a fool or not I cannot yet say," Loki said calmly. "But even if what you claim is true, I do not see how it is your concern. You are under treaty with my father and I am permitted safe passage through your halls, carrying whatever I wish."

"That is true," Hambli admitted, regaining a bit of his composure. "But it is also true that it may be worth your while to sell the stone to me. The halls of Odin are already made of gold and his warriors are fierce and many. What need does he have of a dragon? I could offer you a handsome price."

"Now you want to speak of business," Loki said wearily. "I lack the patience. Whichever of our stories is true, it is many nights since Princess Sigyn and I have slept in soft beds or tasted meat. We are weary and long for home. Show us the way to Asgard and bring your business to my father later…"

"Now, don't be so hasty!" Hambli said quickly. "There is no reason to make the decision now. It is late and can see that you are tired. Partake of the hospitality of my hall for this evening. Tomorrow we will feast. Perhaps then you will feel more inclined to bargain."

"Perhaps," Loki said, refusing to commit.

Hambli was appeased by the concession. He clapped his fat little hands and a servant appeared to whisk Loki and Sigyn away.

The hall that they walked down was less elaborate than the throne room, but still quite beautiful. From the hush of the corridor and the scale of the furnishings, Sigyn guessed that it was a residential wing. Her suspicion was confirmed when the servant stopped in front of one of the doorways and gestured for Sigyn to go inside.

She was about to obey when she realized that they meant to send Loki somewhere else. She felt a flutter of panic when she remembered the grasping fingers of the dwarves in the village and the lustful glimmer in Hambli's eyes. She didn't want to be alone. Instinctively, she clutched at Loki's cloak.

Loki stopped and turned toward Sigyn. He shot her a questioning look but, mercifully, did not force her to explain.

"Princess Sigyn and I will stay together," he said firmly.

Sigyn felt a wave of relief. She could only imagine what the dwarves would whisper behind their backs but, considering the trouble she was already in, a few ugly rumors were a small price to pay for her safety.

Loki and Sigyn stepped inside. Sigyn's heart swelled with delight when she looked around the chamber. Although the furnishings were in the dwarvish fashion- heavy, dark and intricately carved - they were scaled for a man's height and built for comfort. At one wall there was a huge feather bed piled high with silken quilts and pillows. There were plump couches set in front of a crackling fire. There were plates of fruit and cheese and pitchers of wine. Best of all, through a doorway at the rear, Sigyn spied a sunken tub filled with steamy water.

"This will do nicely," Loki said, dismissing the servant. "Please bring dinner directly. After that, we will not wish to be disturbed until morning."

Sigyn assumed that the servant obeyed. She didn't actually pay attention, but made a beeline for the bath.

"Feel free to go first," Loki called out sarcastically. Sigyn ignored him and closed the wooden door behind her. She slipped out of the blood-stained gown and heavy cloak and eased her weary body into the inviting water.

It felt like heaven. Bottles of perfumed soaps and scented oils were set beside the tub. She helped herself to generous amounts, scrubbing her hair and skin, and then sank down into the water to soak. She must have fallen asleep. When returned to her senses a little while later, the water was cool and a fluffy towel was sitting in the place where she had discarded her dress.

Sigyn dried her body, wrung out her hair and then looked around for her clothes. She didn't find them. However, a pretty silk nightgown was hanging on the door, along with a matching robe and a pair of dainty slippers. She put them on, reveling in the feel of the soft material against her skin. Then she went back into the room.

Sigyn's stomach made a funny little flip when she spied the Prince. Loki was sprawled across the bed, sound asleep. It appeared as if he had collapsed from his exhaustion. He was still clutching his travel bag and hadn't even bothered to take off his boots. Although his features looked peaceful, she didn't think he could be comfortable as he was. Feeling a surge of tenderness toward her companion, Sigyn went to the side of the bed and carefully tugged the shoes off of Loki's feet. Feeling emboldened, she unbuckled his scabbard and set his sword and knives on the table beside the bed. She reached for the satchel and then gasped when a cold hand clamped around her wrist.

"What are you doing?" Loki said, his voice firm, but heavy with sleep.

"Just putting this away so that you can sleep," Sigyn answered, prying his fingers loose one by one.

"Thought you were one of the dwarves…" Loki muttered without opening her eyes.

"Now _that_ I find insulting!" Sigyn said lightly, but assumed that he wasn't listening. His hand had slumped back to the mattress and his breathing had already regained the deep, even cadence of sleep. Sigyn put the bag and the "dragon's egg" under the bed. Then she smiled and brushed a lock of hair out of Loki's face. Without thinking, she leaned forward and dabbed a kiss against his brow.

Sigyn took a few pillows and a quilt from the bed and turned toward the sofas but Loki's hand reached out and stopped her again.

"Where you going?" he mumbled, his voice was still garbled and drowsy.

"To the couch," Sigyn whispered back. "To sleep."

"Bed's big enough for two."

Sigyn flushed. "I can't sleep next to you, Loki!" she protested.

"You slept next to me in the cave…same difference. Softer."

Sigyn didn't have a response for that. Intuitively, she knew that there was a vast difference between curling up next to the prince on a cold cave floor and lying together on a civilized mattress, but she couldn't articulate why that was. So, when Loki moved to the side and patted the empty spot beside him, she didn't have any reason not to comply.

Sigyn crawled onto the mattress and settled into the indentation where Loki had been laying moments before. It was still warm from his body and had the same scent of pine needles as his cape. Sigyn turned to the side. Loki was sound asleep again, but so close that she could feel his breath puff against her skin with every exhale. She took a moment to study his face, admiring the long black lashes that laid against his cheek and the strong line of his jaw. Popular opinion in Asgard held that Thor was the more handsome of the two brothers. Sigyn had once agreed, but now she felt otherwise. She wondered if her fickle opinion was owing to closer inspection or merely that her feelings for the prince had changed? Before Loki came to her in search of the Azimuth, he had been just a name and a haze memory of nursery days. Now he was so much more…

 _What_ _is_ _Loki_ _to_ _me?_ The question rose up in Sigyn's mind, but she didn't dare to answer. Whatever she thought she had glimpsed in Loki during their quiet times together, she couldn't completely forget the rest of what Asgard said about its prince. He was cunning and selfish and petulant. Sigyn knew, in her heart, that she was nothing more to him than a means to an end. To hope otherwise was simply courting heartbreak. Sigyn had learned long ago that daydreams never led anywhere else.

 _But_ _that_ _doesn_ _'_ _t_ _mean_ _that_ _I_ _can_ _'_ _t_ _enjoy_ _the_ _moment_ _…_ A rebellious voice inside her refused to be stilled. Already weakened by temptation, Sigyn decided to succumb. She snuggled just a little bit closer to Loki before she closed her eyes and let her imagination roam free. Sigyn fell asleep with a mind full of wishes. S

he dreamed of palaces...and sons…and a snake dripping venom into a bowl.

* * *

When Sigyn awoke, Loki was gone.

A pair of dwarf servants were bustling around the room. One of them was carrying a tray of breakfast, while the other brandished a brush. Both of them fussed at her in dwarfish. She had no idea what they were saying, and so they had to prod her out of bed. They herded her to a table where the first dwarf fed her porridge while the other attacked her hair.

Sigyn wished she knew how to make them stop. The first dwarf was physically holding the spoon and seemed intent on feeding her until she burst. She didn't have any choice but to obey. Sigyn chewed and swallowed as fast as she could while the second dwarf twisted and braided her hair. When the tray was cleared away, a third girl entered bearing a pale green dress.

"Oh! But where are the clothes that I was wearing?" Sigyn asked, frowning in dismay at the gown. It was exquisite- fashioned of diaphanous silk, embellished with silver thread and tiny gems- but too immodest for her taste. Sigyn's cheeks stained crimson when she looked in the mirror and saw the way that the top of her bosom strained against the low square neck of the bodice. "Really- I wish you would just bring my things back!" she begged, but the servants completely ignored her. They bustled out of the room just as the door to the bathroom opened and Loki stepped into the room.

The prince had finally taken his turn in the bath. His hair was damp and his skin was still slightly flushed from the steam, but he otherwise appeared impeccable. The dwarves had provided a fresh tunic and trousers. Loki's tabard, and cloak were cleaned and the golden torc around his neck was gleaming.

He caught sight of Sigyn and smiled.

"No one would question that you're a princess if they saw you now," he said.

The compliment caused the tips of Sigyn's ears to turn pink. Luckily, Loki didn't notice. He picked up the satchel, retrieved the rounded stone, and then offered Sigyn his arm. "Are you ready to see this through to the end?"

Loki remembered the route that they had taken the night before and led them to the throne room without any difficulty. The space had been mostly empty the day before, but now it was furnished as a feasting hall. Hambli had come down from his towering throne to sit at a high table. He called out in greeting to Loki and gestured for the prince to take the place at his side.

There was only available seat at the chief's table. Sigyn frowned in confusion. She looked for another empty place- and that was when she realized that there weren't any other women in the hall. Five dozen pairs of dwarf eyes were tracking her every move.

Hambli noted her expression.

"We saved a special place for you, my dear!" he called out boisterously. Using his silver scepter, he pointed to a table at the center of the room. Sigyn hadn't noticed it before. It was directly in front of the main dias and all of the other tables curved around it. It had only a single seat. "So that we can all enjoy the scenery, my dear!" Hambli called out. He and the other dwarfs met the remark with lusty laughter.

Humiliated, but ever biddable, Sigyn slinked to her place. She braced herself for further insults. Blessedly, however, Hambli had provided for more entertainment than merely her. At a clap of the chieftain's hands, servants flooded the hall with platters of meat and casks of ale and acrobat began to perform.

Because she had been force-fed breakfast not long before, Sigyn wasn't hungry, but she sipped a glass of wine as she watched the show. After the acrobats came trained dogs, then dancers (although the dwarfs had such stubby little legs that there didn't seem to be many steps) and a fool who had some less-than-complimentary things to say about Odin. On and on the pageant continued as the food and ale continued to flow. For her part, Sigyn declined a second goblet of wine. Glancing toward the dias, she could see that Loki avoided the alcohol as well. Hambli and his men, however, showed no such restraint. Two of them were passed out drunk by the time that Hambli called the festivities at an end.

"I trust, Liesmith, that you have truly enjoyed the hospitality of my hall," Hambli said. "Now, I hope, you are in a better humor to talk of trade."

"Truly I would be if there was a trade to be had," Loki answered, "but I have told you before that I carry with me nothing but a common stone…and, if that stone were truly what you say- surely there is nothing among your treasures valuable enough to offer in exchange."

"Nothing among my treasures worth a mere dragon's egg!" Hambli bristled with indignation. "You have no idea what you are talking about! Tales are sung of the wonders of my treasures."

"Songs are sung of many things," Loki responded. "Some true, others not. You have often spoken of your horde, but I have never seen so much as one gold coin."

"One gold coin!" Hambli's voice was quivering with rage. "There is more than that, boy! Come!" Without a further word, Hambli hopped down off of his chair and bustled down the hall.

Sigyn, Loki and a clutch of courtiers followed. Hambli grabbed a torch off of the wall and led them down a winding staircase and stopped in front of an enormous iron door. He placed his hand against its center and it glowed blue for a moment before swinging open to reveal a truly wondrous display of wealth.

Sigyn had never seen its like. There were piles of golden coins twice the height of a man, bushels of rubies, diamonds, emeralds and sapphires jumbled together in heaps, jeweled goblets, golden harps, and fantastic swords were all stacked inside the room. Along the side walls, alcoves held treasures more precious still. In one of these, Sigyn spied the Azimuth.

Her eyes went immediately to Loki, but he looked away. He didn't betray any hint of excitement or any sign that he had seen it at all. In fact, he sounded rather bored when he pronounced, "I see nothing of uncommon value- though I suppose that I am used to my father's storehouse. What about you, Sigyn? Is there anything here you want?"

Something in Loki's tone told Sigyn that she should play along. Following his example, she cast a disinterested gaze around the room. She took a few steps deeper into the vault and then picked up some bracelets and rings. She slid them onto her wrists and fingers and then turned around. "I suppose these are allright," she said with a shrug. She grabbed a handful of sparkling necklaces and put them on as well.

"Nothing extraordinary," Loki pronounced. He walked toward her. "Perhaps you need something to complete the look?" He walked to the alcove and picked up the Azimuth. He was about to place it on Sigyn's head when Hambli intervened.

"The crown is not for sale!" He said sharply.

Loki shrugged. "Neither is my stone, so I suppose it doesn't matter."

"Now, wait!" Hambli said. "I don't mean that I won't consider a bargain…but the crown is very precious indeed...I might part with it for the stone, but you would also owe me two cartfuls of gold when you return to Asgard."

Loki snorted. "As special as all that? Doubtful. I _might_ consider trading stone for the crown, Sigyn's jewels, provisions to return to Asgard and two cartfuls of gold from _you_!"

"What?" Hambli huffed. "A dragon's egg is not worth half so much!"

"No," Loki agreed. "It is worth at least double…so I suppose that I'll be keeping my stone…"

"Don't be hasty!" Hambli squawked, his greed betraying his desperation to have the object. "I agree that a dragon's egg is valuable...but also more like an investment than the treasures in this room…there's nothing for sniffing out treasure like a dragon. It could pay for itself seven fold in time… _if_ it hatches at all…and then there's the matter of training. You have to admit- there's a good possibility that it will never amount to anything at all."

"I'm prepared to take that chance," Loki said and continued walking toward the door.

At the mention of chance, Hambli's face lit up with fresh hope. "Well, if you're in the mood for gambling…perhaps we could settle things along that line? Would you care to make a wager with me?"

Loki stopped walking and lifted an eyebrow to indicate that he was listening.

"A game of Fates!" Hambli proposed, "The first man to thirty-six!"

"If I win?" Loki asked.

"Then you may have what you asked for and take the egg to your father as well…If you lose, I will demonstrate that there are no hard feelings by sending you on your way to Asgard with meat and ale."

"Empty handed."

Hambli bowed his head in admission of that fact but wisely refrained from saying more. Loki pondered the offer for a while before he finally acquiesced.

Hambli called for a table and chairs to be carried into the vault. Servants scrambled to obey. They returned with the items that he demanded, along with more ale and a box of casting sticks.

Sigyn had not been raised around men, so she was only a vague knowledge of the rules of Fates. She knew that it used four sticks made of ivory or bone. One side of each stick was inscribed with a rune- Sowulo, Tiewaz, Gebo, or Hagalaz- and the other was polished smooth. Players cast the sticks by throwing them to the ground. The sticks that landed rune side up were worth one point each, with the exception of Hagalaz, which subtracted one point. Face down runes were not counted unless all four landed that way at once. In that case, five points were scored. It was a popular method of gambling and considered purely a game of chance.

Sigyn assumed that Loki would cheat.

Loki made the first cast. Sowulo and Tiewaz turned up for two points. Hambli responded with a cast of three. Back and forth it went. Sigyn supposed that Loki was waiting until the end to make his move. It would be foolish to be _too_ obvious with his tricks. Nevertheles, she held her breath when Loki and Hambli each tied at 35.

Loki collected the sticks in his hand, shook them, and then flung them to the floor.

Sigyn gasped.

There were three blanks….and Hagalaz!

"Thirty-four!" Hambli howled with glee.

Sigyn looked at Loki's face. For just a moment, his careful façade was dropped. All of the color leached out of his face and he stared at the runes in shock.

"Surprised, Loki Liesmith?" Hambli asked as his portly body continued to vibrate with laughter. "Perhaps you were expecting a different cast? I should have mentioned that these stones are warded against your sorcery. They will work the opposite of whatever outcome directed by a spell." He gathered the stones up again and tossed them himself. "See!" he called out merrily when the sticks showed all blanks. "Forty! I win!"

Loki remained silent, but Hambli continued to taunt him. "I am no fool, Loki Liesmith- you cannot trick me as easily as you have my brothers…now, if you would kindly provide your forfeit?"

With trembling fingers, Loki handed over the stone. Sigyn couldn't tell if he was still acting or if he had forgotten that the dragon's egg wasn't real. He was clearly reeling from the failure of the plan.

"You have kept your side of the bargain," Hambli announced. He clutched the stone to his chest greedily and stroked it as though it were already a live animal. "I shall honor mine as well. Grawli here will set you back on the path between worlds at once and afford you the provisions that I promised as well. Go now."

Without further discussion, the dwarf chief began herding his guests toward the door. Sigyn caught Loki's eye, looking for a hint about what he was planning to do next, but his expression was unreadable. She realized, to her horror, that there was no follow-up plan.

One of Hambli's guards had returned the Azimuth to its shelf. It glittered on the wall behind them. _They_ _had_ _come_ _so_ _close_! Sigyn refused to give up just yet.

"Wait!" she exclaimed, just before the door swung closed.

The party came to an abrupt halt. Everyone looked toward Sigyn expectantly.

"What is it, little diamond?" Hambli asked in a condescending tone. "Are you missing my pretty things already? You don't have to return to Asgard, you know." The suggestive grin that he flashed hinted broadly at just how Sigyn might continue to surround herself with riches.

She shuddered before she continued to speak. "I propose one more wager," she said boldly. "You say that the casting sticks were enchanted against Loki's magic, but it may be that they were charmed to aid you as well."

"It is not injustice for a cheater to be cheated!" Hambli said. "Besides- If what you say is true then bested him in a match of wits! He could have guarded himself against my tactics as well!"

"But the wager was for Fates," Sigyn countered calmly. "If you want a battle of wits, you ought to do it outright. I propose that you pose a riddle. Loki's magic won't help him there. You will write down the answer first, so that there can be no claim of trickery…If we win, the stone will be returned- along with the rest of what you wagered."

Hambli laughed. "Ah, sweet nugget- you should not bother your pretty head with thinking. You cannot see the obvious flaw with you proposal? I've already won! Why should I risk my riches when the Liesmith has nothing left to wager?"

"But he does!" Sigyn said.

"What?" both Hambli and Loki demanded at once.

Sigyn took a shuddering breath. And looked at her feet before she answered:

"Me."


	10. Sigyn’s Wager

At first, Loki didn't understand what Sigyn had said.

"What?" he and Hambli exclaimed at the same time.

"I said…that you could still wager for me."

Loki's stomach churned when he saw the hungry grin that spread across the dwarf chief's features. Hambli templed his stubby fingers under his chin and let his beady eyes roam over Sigyn's figure as though he was about to bid on a particularly prime piece of horseflesh.

"An intriguing suggestion," the chieftain purred.

Loki stepped forward. "Sigyn- _no!"_ he said, catching her shoulder and pulling her aside. "You don't want to do this. I'll think of another way…"

"There is no other way!" Sigyn exclaimed. She attempted to twist out of his grasp, but Loki held firm.

"Stop, and think! You've seen how they behave. You're too innocent to know what he's after. You can't imagine what they'd do if they got you alone!" Sigyn might be a blushing young maiden, but Loki's imagination was full of distasteful ideas and he shuddered on her behalf. "They'll lock you down here away from the sun and there's no telling if you'll ever come back!"

" _If_ we lose!" Sigyn retorted, emphasizing the first word. She lifted one hand to Loki's face and touched his cheek. "You have to trust me!"

"It isn't a question of trust. It's a question of sanity!" Loki countered, confusion and disapproval dripping from his voice. Before he could muster another argument, Hambli interrupted.

"My patience is spent! Do you wish to make the bet or not?"

"Yes!" Sigyn exclaimed at the same time that Loki growled, " _No!"_

Hambli ignored the prince. One of his small, grubby hands reached around Sigyn's legs- the highest part of her body that he could comfortably reach- and tugged her back toward the table where he and Loki had held their match of Fates.

"Now, gemstone," he said to Sigyn in an oily tone, "What is it that you had in mind?"

Loki's blood boiled as he watched the dwarf's fingers caress the back of Sigyn's thighs. Hambli acted as though he had already won the wager and acquired the Vanir princess as a pet. Loki knew that he needed to stop the madness soon.

"It's late!" he said, attempting the same delaying tactic that had been successful the night before. "We should all go to sleep and deal with this in the morning."

"No," Hambli said flatly. "It _is_ late- but I don't think that I care to sleep alone. We will settle this now- and then you can be on your way back to Asgard, Son of Odin."

Loki opened his mouth to argue some more, but Sigyn spoke first.

"I agree- there is no cause to delay."

Loki's jaw tensed in helpless frustration. "What is it that we are doing, exactly?" he forced out through clenched teeth.

"Hambli is going to ask you a riddle," Sigyn explained. She turned toward the dwarf. "You will write your answer down before you ask, so that the solution can't be changed. Loki will remain silent and keep his hands at his side so that he won't be able to use any magic- that should make things fair to both of you. It will be a pure battle of wits, as I said before."

Loki felt like rolling his eyes. Of course he was flattered that Sigyn obviously considered him to hold the superior intellect (then again, he was battling against _a dwarf_ )- but she seemed too naïve to understand that Hambli could manipulate the game in more ways than simply changing his answer after the query was posed. Loki was certain that the chief's idea of a "riddle" was to ask a question that no one could ever unravel with wits. His suspicion was confirmed when he saw the delighted glimmer in Hambli's eyes.

"Simple enough," the dwarf said, assenting to the terms. He clapped his hands to summon a servant. In the blink of an eye, parchment, a quill and an hourglass were delivered to the vault.

"The Lie-Smith shall have until the end of three turnings of the glass to find his answer," Hambli proposed, "He may only answer once. If he fails, he forfeits you and agrees to be on his way."

"Yes," Sigyn agreed, "But remember- _you_ are wagering everything that came before: me, the egg, the jewels, two cartloads of gold…and the crown."

"Yes."

"You must swear it!" Sigyn said firmly.

Clearly feeling his advantage, the dwarf agreed. He spit into his palm and held it out to Loki. Grimacing in distaste, Loki followed his example. They clasped hands and repeated their oath. Then, they both took a seat at the table.

Hambli picked up the pen and scratched a word on the piece of paper. When he was finished, he folded the scrap of parchment in fourths and laid it next to the hourglass.

"The lady has been very straightforward in her terms," Hambli said. A predatory gleam lit his coal-black eyes. "In that spirit, I will ask you a straightforward question as well, Odinsson…riddle me this: What am I thinking of between one and ten?"

Loki's eyes narrowed. At first, he was surprised by the simple question- and then he was suspicious. He had fully expected Hambli to ask this sort of question: open-ended to the point of hopelessness. The part that he didn't understand was why the chief would offer him a one-in-ten chance of success.

"Well?" the dwarf prodded. Hambli turned the hourglass over for the first time and sand began to trickle out of the top.

Loki glanced at Sigyn. Her face had gone pale and her features were oddly tense. He assumed that she was finally beginning to realize what she had done, but he couldn't stop to comfort her now. Loki tried to clear his mind and concentrate on the task at hand. Surely there was some way to work out the number that Hambli was looking for? At least he could make an educated guess!

If the dwarves loved anything, it was "more". That tendency argued in favor of the number ten…but surely Hambli was canny enough to realize that Loki would know this and consider it in making his guess. Perhaps he would chose the opposite- if those numbers were even in play.

"Between one and ten?" Loki repeated, seeking clarification. "One and ten are included, or not?"

"Yes," Hambli replied. "One and ten are included. Is one of those your answer?"

"No," Loki discarded both numbers as possibilities. The dwarf hadn't betrayed the slightest hint of agitation at Loki's question- which he took to mean that Hambli hadn't felt threatened by it. That left only eight remaining answers…

"A cup of wine!" Hambli commanded his servant. His booming voice broke Loki's concentration. The prince glanced up at the dwarf. Clearly, the revels of the day were catching up with the little chieftain. His skin had turned ashen and- if the way that he was wincing and rubbing his temple was any way to judge- it seemed that he was battling a headache. Had Loki cared about the dwarf chief's health at all, then he might have argued against the wine. As it was, he took a crumb of pleasure from the thought that Hambli was suffering and turned his attention to the goblet that the servant brought.

The vessel appeared to be made of solid gold and it had intricate carvings on its side. Loki's eyes were drawn to a highly stylized pyramid that was transected by six diagonal lines. He assumed that they represented the six deep mines of the mountain that Hambli's chiefdom controlled.

 _Six?_ Loki pondered whether Hambli was the sort of man to choose a number of such personal significance. True, the dwarf was arrogant- but wouldn't he also want to select the number that Loki was least likely to guess?

The last few grains of sand ran out of the top of the hourglass and Hambli turned it over again.

"Do you have an answer?" the dwarf asked again.

The small, glittering flecks of sand were still flowing, counting off precious seconds.

"Silence!" Loki growled and tried to focus again.

_There were nine realms of Ydraggsil…Hambli had seven wives…sun, moon and firelight were the three symbols of the dwarfish temples…Hambli was the eigth child of Garbli…_

The hourglass turned for a third time.

Loki felt the beginning of real panic and wondered if he should forget the riddle and start working on a plan to rescue Sigyn instead. He couldn't leave her here! This predicament was her own fault, but still he felt responsible. After all, she was his…friend? Loki didn't have time to ponder what the girl might mean to him now. If his fears were realized, he would have the whole, long, lonely walk to Asgard to contemplate what their relationship had been. He couldn't let that happen! He had to _think!_

_...Three?...Six?...Four?...Five?_

_**AND.** _

Loki sucked in his breath. A stabbing pain shot through his forehead at the same time that he _felt_ the word inside his mind. It was similar to what he had experienced with the shard of Azimuth, but the hurt was new. There was another difference as well. This time, the word was spoken in _Sigyn's_ voice!

_**The answer is "AND"….between one AND ten…He's trying to trick you!** _

Loki looked up and caught Sigyn's gaze. Her usually cool blue eyes seemed to radiate with intensity but her features were fixed. Was she really speaking to him inside his head? If so, then how? Were the words merely a figment of a desperate mind?

_**AND!** _

Loki winced as another pain jolted through his head.

_**Loki- you have to trust me!** _

The final grains of sand were slipping downwards. With every passing second, Hambli's smug smile spread further across his ruddy face.

"Well, Loki Lie-Smith?" he demanded as the last particle of dust settled in the bottom of the glass. "What is your answer?"

Loki took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He decided to take a chance:

"And."

There was a beat of absolute silence. Sigyn extended her arm toward the folded slip of paper, but before she could reach it, Hambli exploded in rage.

"CHEATER!" the chief exclaimed. He swept his arm across the table, sending the paper, the hourglass and his goblet of wine crashing to the floor.

Sigyn calmly bent to retrieve the parchment, which she calmly read aloud: "And."

Loki felt sick with relief.

"CHEATER!" Hambli bellowed again. His face was turning purple with anger. "There is no way that you could make that guess! You used magic somehow! I know it!" The dwarf clutched at Sigyn's gown as though he meant to claim her in spite of his failure- but the princess slapped his hand away.

"You lost and now you have to pay your debt!" she said. "You swore an oath."

Hambli continued to howl, but Sigyn ignored him. Loki smiled with approval as she coolly collected all of the jewels that she had selected for the first round of betting along with the stone and -finally- the Azimuth.

"You owe us two cartfuls of gold," she said sweetly, but the twist of her lips betrayed the relish that she took in besting the dwarf.

"And directions to Asgard," Loki added, seizing the moment. "We'll want to be on our way."

This was the final straw.

"DIRECTIONS TO ASGARD?" Hambli shouted, still quivering with fury. "I'll give you directions to Asgard!" He made a very rude gesture which culminated with his fingers pointing toward the ceiling. "UP! That's the only direction you'll get from me- you can find your way via Helheim for all I care!"

The direction of "up" was surely accurate- although it obeyed the letter, rather than the spirit of the wager. Loki feared that Sigyn was about to press the issue- but he could sense that it was time to make a tactful retreat.

He took Sigyn's arm and guided her through the doorway of the vault.

Outside, Loki didn't have any idea where he was heading, so he took his cues from the guards. The dwarf soldiers were practically nipping at their heels. They herded the two Asgardians up the stairs and down a bare corridor like a group of housewives sweeping dust outside with a broom.

Eventually, they reached a pair of heavy iron doors. Loki and Sigyn were pushed through with such force that they stumbled to the ground. Loki had barely managed to regain his feet when a bundle of clothing and their traveling packs were tossed onto ground beside them. With that, the metal doors slammed shut, leaving Loki and Sigyn in total darkness.

It took only a second for Loki to conjure fire. He moved the magical flames around their immediate surroundings, taking stock of what he saw.

"Lovely," he said with a sigh. " _Another_ cave."

"We follow it?" Sigyn asked him.

Loki looked over his shoulder. The way behind them was barred. Ahead of them, the narrow cavern twisted steeply toward the sky.

"You heard what the dwarf-chief said...the way back to Asgard is up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you so much for your comments! You have all given me lots of ideas...and some of you are too darn smart for your own good! Loki and Sigyn aren't home-free yet!
> 
> A few quick notes: Yes, the "Stop, and think" was stolen from the movie...I love the way that Tom Hiddleston delivers that line. I figured Sigyn needed the benefit of hearing it- perhaps it will get her moving a little faster towards falling in love!
> 
> Hambli's riddle was somewhat inspired by Bilbo and Gollum in the cave from "The Hobbit". I thought about "What's in my pocket?" but figured that was too much of a ripoff.
> 
> This chapter wasn't quite as exciting as the last one, but I hope that you are still enjoying the ride.


	11. Heat

Loki and Sigyn had only followed the cave for a short distance before they turned a corner and the road diverged into three separate paths. The first continued to snake up sharply toward the sky. The second was level and the third curved toward the right. Loki studied their options with a frown, trying to decide which one to choose.

"We could...we could ask the Azimuth," Sigyn said quietly.

Loki shook his head. "Not yet," he answered in a low voice. "Hambli wouldn't have surrendered it so easily if he had any idea what it could do. I don't trust him. He might have spies following us even now. I don't want to use the crown until we reach the surface- unless we have no choice."

Sigyn bowed her head, accepting the decision. "This way, then..." she suggested, pointing toward the far left pathway. "Look! The walls are damp. I've seen it in the sea caves. It's groundwater seeping down from above."

Loki nodded and allowed Sigyn to lead the way. They were mostly silent as they walked, both from custom and from the continuing suspicion that they might be followed. Although his lips were still, Loki's mind was humming with activity. There were questions that he wanted to pose to the Azimuth- but information that he wished to demand of Sigyn as well. _What had she been thinking, offering herself up as the prize in a game of chance?_ As soon as he knew they were alone, he intended to give her a thorough lecture for the stunt that she had pulled with Hambli. True, it had worked out okay in the end- but that didn't make up for the terror that she had put him through! He might expect such rash behavior from someone like his brother Thor, but certainly _not_ from a girl like Sigyn...not that he had figured out exactly what sort of girl Sigyn was quite yet.

No matter how much thought he dedicated to the problem, Loki couldn't make sense of the girl. He was used to women like the Lady Sif and the Valkyeries: cold, tough warriors who demanded to be dealt with on the same terms as men, or women like Freya and his mother, who used their beauty and feminine charms to compel their men to protect and keep them. Sigyn was strong _and_ soft: capable of driving a dagger through an Ettin's throat, but afraid to sleep alone. She was frustrating and confusing...and _captivating_.

Loki suppressed a groan when he recalled waking up that morning with her in his arms. When they laid down to sleep, there had been a proper distance between them. Sometime in the night, they had shifted, so that Sigyn's little body was pressed up tightly against his own. She had fitted perfectly: her head tucked under his chin, her back against his chest, her pert little bottom flush against his hips. The feel of her, the scent of her hair and the memory of her naked body when she washed in the cave had rendered him almost painfully aroused. In the groggy twilight between sleep and waking, Loki had been sorely tempted to act. As much as he despised Hambli for his perverted designs on Sigyn, Loki had to admit that the fantasies that raced through his mind in that morning were no less wicked and depraved. He wondered if part of his anger with the dwarf stemmed from the fact that the chieftain coveted something that Loki had started to think of as his own.

Uncomfortable with the direction of his thoughts, Loki tore his mind away. He tried to concentrate on the things that he wanted to ask the Azimuth, but as the hours slipped past, his eyes kept returning to Sigyn.

They continued climbing. The air turned colder. The water that had been dripping down the rock walls of the cavern was frozen. Icicles hung among the stalactites, virtually indistinguishable in the dark.

They stopped after a while to share their last two apples and a wedge of cheese that remained in Loki's pack. Unsurprisingly, Hambli had not honored his promise to provide provisions. All things considered considered, Loki supposed that they were lucky that their packs and cloaks had been returned. The cave was much too cold for the insubstantial dress Sigyn had worn to the feasting. She had her traveling robes pulled tightly around her shoulders. Loki frowned when he saw that she was shivering.

"Here." Loki took off his cape and offered it to her.

"I can't!" Sigyn protested. "You'll freeze."

"I never get cold," he countered - and meant it. Loki had always been strangely impervious to freezing weather. Of course, Asgard was never chilly. He had discovered the quirk by accident during mountain holidays as a child. The quality had come in quite handy during the snowball fights that he held with Thor. His older brother always commenced the battles with gusto, but couldn't tolerate the chill for long and was forced to surrender. Loki, on the other hand, could happily play among the drifts for hours.

Sigyn let him lay the cape around her shoulders. Loki was glad that she had accepted his help- and then disgusted with himself when the sight of the green velvet wound around her shoulders dragged his mind off track again, reminding him of when she had wrapped the cloth around her naked body to sleep.

"Look!"

Loki was grateful when the sound of Sigyn's voice snapped him back to attention. Her hand was extended forward. Loki strained his eyes to look in the direction that she was pointing. Far ahead and high above he could make out a pale glow. "That looks like daylight!" he exclaimed and started walking faster.

The trail was very steep and slick from ice. Their progress was slow, but they kept moving toward the light. The temperature dropped further and further as they climbed. As the light grew larger, they could make out the path ahead. Rather than stone, the walls of the tunnel now appeared to be made of solid ice. Wind whistled past the mouth of the cave, filling it with eerie whines and moans that echoed through the darkness.

The glow had faded considerably by the time they reached the small opening that led to the outside world. Loki assumed that night was falling, although it was impossible to tell with certainty. A storm was raging. Snow swirled through the air so thickly that he couldn't see anything beyond the mouth of the cave.

"Svartalfheim?" Sigyn asked uncertainly.

Loki shook his head. He didn't want to frighten his companion, but he felt a sinking certainty that he knew where they were.

"We'll stay here until the storm dies down," he told Sigyn. It would be suicide to venture out in the weather. At least they were sheltered from the relentless winds inside the cave.

Loki spread the green fire into a circle around them. It filled the cave with light- although the magic didn't offer any warmth.

Sigyn arranged her travelling cloak on the ground and then settled miserably onto the ice. Her teeth chattered as she fished through her pack in a futile search for something to eat.

Loki noticed that she was shivering again. "You really are freezing!" he exclaimed.

Sigyn shook her head. "Y-you sh-should t-t-take your cloak b-back..." Sigyn said through chattering teeth. "S-s-s-so c-cold."

"I'm fine," Loki insisted- and he was. The cold had not affected him in the slightest.

Sigyn, on the other hand, was miserable. She was also stubborn.

"N-no!" She tried to wriggle out of the cape, but her frigid fingers were too clumsy to obey.

Loki sighed.

"What about a compromise?" he suggested. Before she could answer, he tugged the velvet free from Sigyn and draped it over his own back. Then- despite knowing that he would regret it- he pulled Sigyn onto his lap.

Loki took it as an indication of how very numb Sigyn was that she didn't immediately try to move away. She was perfectly docile as he rubbed her arms and back and puffed his warm breath over her skin until the shivering began to subside and color returned to her cheeks. Even when she was still, Loki kept Sigyn locked in his arms, letting his uncanny warmth flow into her body.

He knew the exact moment that she started feeling better. Sigyn let out a gasp of shock and started to twist away, but Loki held her fast.

"We shouldn't-!" she exclaimed. "It isn't proper!"

"I believe that our options are disregarding propriety or letting you freeze to death," Loki said calmly. He readjusted the cape so that it blocked the bitter wind from their faces. "I'll take it quite personally if you say you prefer death...besides- I'm being a gentleman. My friend Fandral would insist that this sort of thing only works naked."

The color in Sigyn's cheeks deepened- this time from embarrassment. She squirmed on Loki's lap, earning a tortured groan. "Sigyn- _sit_ _still!_ " Loki commanded through clenched teeth.

"I'm sorry!" she squeaked. Then, despite the instructions, she moved again, twisting toward him to meet his gaze. "I truly _am_ sorry, Loki," she said quietly. "For everything...I never thanked you for saving me from that horrible dwarf."

Loki gave a dismissive snort. "As I recall you saved yourself...although, I'm still not certain how you did it." He frowned, deciding that it was finally time to ask his questions. "That was your voice that I heard, wasn't it? In the vault? You told me the answer to Hambli's riddle."

Sigyn nodded.

"You're a telepath?"

"Not exactly...at least, not in the way that you mean. It is called ' _kahalan_ '- the mind-song. It was the first language of the Vanir- before the war, when we lived by the sea and didn't know the common tongue. It was images and emotions then, instead of words. Spoken language came much later...and even then, _kahalan_ was what we used to sing fish into our nets and it was the voice that mothers used to speak to their children in the womb..."

Sigyn glanced at Loki's pack. "Some said that the Azimuth was merely a means of sharing _kahalan_ with the Norns and the great ones who shape the worlds and fates..."

She fell silent for a moment before continuing. "Eventually, the old ways were mostly forgotten. It wasn't useful in dealing with the other realms. _Kahalan_ can be taught to a non-Vanir, but only as a young child and even then with extreme difficulty. During the war, it began to fall out of use and disappeared almost entirely after the Vanir moved to Asgard. Now, only the very oldest of the Vanir are adept, but Grandfather taught me when I was young. He taught all of my sisters- although we only really ever used it to annoy one another. I'm out of practice. I almost didn't manage-"

"I understand how you spoke to me," Loki clarified, "But how did you know the answer to the riddle?"

" _Kahalan_ isn't a language in the manner of speaking and listening. It's...it's like a connection between minds. When you heard my voice, you were really _feeling_ what was in my mind. I did the same to Hambli. I joined our thoughts and saw his trick."

"You did it without his knowing?"

"Yes. Like I said, it was harder than I expected. For a moment-"

Sigyn kept speaking, but Loki was distracted by a sudden, horrifying thought, "Have you ever read _my_ mind?"

"No!" she said quickly, and then moved to reassure him. "You'd be able to tell if I tried. I'm very clumsy. You would feel me trying to make the bond."

"The headaches," Loki said as the pieces fell into place. He remembered the sharp pain that had preceded Sigyn's message and the sudden onset of Hambli's hangover.

"Yes."

Loki was silent for a moment as he pondered what Sigyn had told him. "So...it wouldn't have mattered which riddle Hambli chose. You would have heard the answer in his mind."

"Well, that was my plan."

Loki's lips spread into a wide grin.

"What?" Sigyn demanded.

"You cheated!" Loki said gleefully. He couldn't contain a laugh at the indignant expression that instantly sprang to Sigyn's face.

"I did not! I merely...employed all available resources. The rules said that _you_ couldn't use magic...there was nothing that prevented me from-"

"You _cheated_ ," Loki said again. He flashed Sigyn another smile, but then his expression became more serious. "It was still a crazy risk! Even if we guessed correctly, there was no assurance that Hambli would honor the bet. Whatever possessed you to try it?"

"It was the only way to get the Azimuth!"

"But why does that matter to _you?_ _"_ Loki asked. His tone was harsher than he intended. Sigyn flinched. Loki softened his voice before continuing. "I mean...why would you want to help me? I practically blackmailed you into coming along?"

"I-!" Sigyn started to speak, but clamped her mouth shut. There was a struggle on her face. Loki would have given anything to know _kahalan_ at that moment, so that he could read the thoughts dancing behind Sigyn's eyes. For just a moment, he had the crazy notion that Sigyn was about to blurt out that she had done it for _him_ \- that she wanted to help him because she cared- but of course that was his overactive imagination.

Sigyn quickly regained control of her expression. Her lips twisted into a wry grin. " _Practically_ blackmailed?" she asked in a sarcastic drawl.

Loki laughed sheepishly. Sigyn shifted again. This time, she laid her head against his shoulder. She closed her eyes. He thought she was asleep when she whispered:

"It's my adventure."

"What?" Loki wasn't certain that he had heard correctly.

"You asked why I cared about getting the Azimuth...it's because...because this is my adventure. I know it must sound silly to you, but...but I've spent so many years at Noatun, reading about the things that happened long ago, about warriors and sorcerers and quests...but I never thought that it would happen to me...and now that it has...I just thought...I thought, maybe now someone will tell my story someday... and 'it was too hard, so they headed home' isn't much of an ending."

"Oh, no- 'she spent the rest of eternity being molested by dwarves' is much more compelling, I agree," Loki fired back, but there wasn't any malice in his voice.

"I told you that you would think it was silly," Sigyn sighed. "I'm sure that you've had lots of adventures."

"I've had my share," Loki agreed. "Although- not as many as my brother." He couldn't prevent the note of bitterness that crept into his voice. "Father tends to send Thor for the quests and battles. Apparently my brother is brave and formidable and I'm...clever."

Sigyn raised her hand to Loki's cheek. "You're jealous of your brother?" she asked, surprising him with her bluntness.

Loki opened and closed his mouth several times. His instinct was to lash out and punish Sigyn for her audacious question, but he bit his tongue. Perhaps it was still wishful thinking on his part, but there was something about Sigyn that made him think that she really did care about his answer- and that she might understand. After all, she did have six sisters, and no one would accuse Freya of being an attentive parent.

Loki was still debating how to answer when an eerie howl rose over the whine of the wind and interrupted his thoughts.

Sigyn stiffened. "What was that?"

Before Loki could answer, another yowl carried through the storm.

"Wolves," he whispered, tightening his grip on Sigyn. "Don't worry- they won't come close to the fire."

He hoped that he was right.

The storm was abating. Through the remaining flurries, Loki could finally make out the landscape beyond the cave. Towering drifts surrounded the entrance, resembling frozen waves on a stormy sea. Beyond them, huge black trees, each as big around as a tower, spiked up out of the snow. They rose like columns, so tall and so close together that they looked like a solid wall. There was no underbrush, but even so it was impossible to peer more than a little ways into the wood.

Loki was scanning the sight when he noted something even more sinister. From the corner of his eye he saw a silvery figure lurking near the outermost edge of the fire. It was a wolf. It appeared normal in all respects, except for its size. Even on all fours, it was easily the height of a man and its body was wide as a horse.

Loki held his breath as the animal turned toward him. The magical green flames flashed in its amber eyes. For a heart-stopping second, Loki caught its gaze. The wolf barred its teeth and hunkered back on its haunches. Very slowly, Loki reached for his sword- but before the animal could spring forward, a sharp yip carried through the darkness. The wolf stopped to sniff the air. He returned the cry, and then disappeared into the woods.

It was several seconds before either of the travelers dared to breathe, much less speak. It was Sigyn who broke the silence first.

"They don't have wolves like that in Svartalfheim," she said in a tone that was begging for contradiction.

"No," Loki agreed. "I don't think we're in Svartalfheim anymore."

"What are we going to do?" Sigyn asked in a frightened whisper. "We can't fight wolves like that! What if there are more?"

"I don't know," Loki answered. He looked down at his sword, and then shifted his attention to the traveling pack instead. "But...I may have an idea of how to find out."

Sigyn sucked in her breath as Loki reached into the bag and retrieved the Azimuth. Its pale blue glow reflected on the snowy walls of the cave. He turned it over in his hands, running his fingers over its smooth facets. He frowned briefly when he encountered a rough gouge where a piece of the crystal was missing, but then he reached into his pack again. He retrieved the pouch that had been delivered outside of his door in Asgard and shook out the small shard that had set their quest in motion.

Loki held the shimmering piece of crystal up against the crown. He smiled to discover that it was a perfect fit. He held the chip in place for just a moment, and then gasped as it seemed to melt back into place.

"Try my piece!" Sigyn said, excited. She took the chain off of her neck and offered it to Loki. He turned the crown over in his hands- but couldn't discover any place that the chunk might go.

Sigyn rubbed her pendant against the crown, hoping that the magic of the object would show them where it belonged, but nothing happened.

"It doesn't fit," Loki said apologetically.

Sigyn's featured crumpled with disappointment. "I always thought...grandfather said...well...I suppose I was wrong."

Loki squeezed her hand in silent sympathy, but then he returned his attention to the crown. He took a deep breath, and then set it on his head.

He wasn't certain what was supposed to happen. He half-expected to feel a tingling, or hear voices, or for the crown to become heavy with all of King Salkin's old wisdom- but he didn't feel anything at first. He looked to Sigyn for guidance.

"Try just asking a question," she said anxiously.

Loki nodded. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to concentrate as he said aloud. "How do we get past the wolves?"

At first, nothing happened. Loki was about to decide that it hadn't worked, when the glow of the crown intensified. He felt a voice inside his head- without any pain this time.

"You are in the Lady's wood. The wolves are under her power. They will not harm you."

Loki repeated the answer aloud.

Sigyn's eyes grew wide. "Which lady?" she asked. "And where do we go next?"

Loki decided to ask the second question. Once again, there was a pause, then a glow and, finally, an answer:

"Walk forward into the wood. You will find a short path. At the end of the path you will reach the Lady's cottage. Go now, before the storm begins again."

Loki told Sigyn what he had learned and then he moved to obey. He carefully returned the Azimuth to his pack and rose to his feet.

The wind had calmed, and it was slightly warmer than it had been before. Loki worried about Sigyn, but knew that he couldn't leave her in the cave alone. He took her hand as they walked to the mouth of the cave.

A wolf howled nearby.

Sigyn balked. Her terrified eyes looked at Loki's face. "Are you sure of what the Azimuth said? Do you think that we can trust it?"

"We don't have any choice."

Sigyn nodded and steeled herself, then she took Loki's hand again. Together, they stepped into the snow.

The drifts were even deeper than he had feared. In places, they snow was up to his knees. It was impossible for Sigyn to wade through in her dress. In the end, he carried her most of the way. After a struggle, they made it to the trees where the high canopy of blue leaves had prevented most of the snow from touching the ground.

Loki could hear the wolves circling around them in the darkness. Occasionally, he would catch a flash of fur from the corner of his eyes and his hand tensed on the blade of the sword, but the animals didn't attack. The Azimuth seemed to have spoken truly. They hadn't walked very far through the woods before they came upon a narrow path. They followed it up a small hill and around a bend. Then, just as the crown predicted, Loki spied a snug little cottage sitting next to a frozen stream.

"The Lady's house!" Sigyn exclaimed, tugging him forward.

Loki's features echoed Sigyn's relief. He was half afraid that the welcoming little house was an illusion. It looked too good to be true. It was a tidy little structure fashioned of bright gray stone with a pointed slate roof. A decorative garland of pine boughs and holly was hung on the red front door. A cheerful puff of smoke was rising out of the chimney and lights were burning brightly in the windows.

"We're safe!" Sigyn cried when they had almost reached the cottage. She stopped for a moment and flung her arms around Loki's neck in relief. Without thinking, his own arms slipped around her waist. He met her eyes. Then, they both froze.

Loki expected Sigyn to pull away. If she didn't, he knew that he should- but his body refused to obey. Very slowly, Sigyn closed her eyes. She lifted her chin toward him, offering her lips. A shiver ran through Loki's body as he felt the gentle puff of her breath against his skin. One of his hands moved up her back, pressing her against his chest as his mouth drifted down toward hers. Time seemed to stand still as they moved closer...closer...

A loud sound caused them both to jump apart.

Loki swung around, his hand on his sword, but faltered in surprise at the sight which met his eyes.

The front door of the cottage was flung open. A woman was standing on the threshold.

At first, Loki could not make out the lady's appearance, but as she stepped toward them, the moon came out from behind a cloud. Silvery light illuminated the stranger's her features and Loki sucked in his breath at the sight of the most beautiful woman he had ever known.

The lady's skin was as white and unblemished as the fresh fallen snow. Her hair was black as coal. It fell in inky rivers around her narrow shoulders and her large, pert breasts. Her face was delicate, but striking. Midnight blue eyes were set above a small, straight nose, blood red lips and pearly teeth. She moved as though she were dancing, stepping over the snow with impossible grace.

The woman spared a small nod to Sigyn, but her glittering eyes were locked on Loki's face. "You have found me at last, Loki Odinsson," she said in a musical voice. "I have waited so long for you to come."

Loki was almost too dazzled to answer, but finally found his voice. "I fear you have the advantage over me, my Lady. I did not know that I was expected, or I would have traveled this way much sooner- and I regret that I do not know your name."

The woman laughed as though his answer pleased her.

"Do not apologize, my prince. I saw your coming in the threads before they were spun...and I saw other things as well- but you will learn them all in time. For now I will offer greetings and shelter in my humble house."

The woman made a deep curtsy and then gestured the Prince toward the cottage.

"I am _Angrboda_ . Welcome to the Iron Wood."


	12. The Lady’s Cottage

Sigyn's heart felt heavy at the sight of Angrboda's smile. It was beautiful- yet somehow terrible and false as well. Sigyn had never been a Seer, but a sense of foreboding gripped her when she looked in the Lady's deep blue eyes. Suddenly, the welcoming warmth of the cottage seemed menacing. She glanced anxiously to Loki, wondering if he sensed it as well.

If the prince felt that anything was amiss, he did not show it. Loki stepped eagerly across the threshold and gestured for Sigyn to follow him inside. She moved to obey, but could not prevent a second of hesitation.

Behind her, Angrboda gave a gentle nudge. Sigyn looked over her shoulder. It was beginning to storm again. Thick snowflakes were swirling down from the sky and the wind whipped at her skirt. A wolf howled in the darkness and Sigyn realized that she could not turn back. She stepped into the cottage, and then winced as the heavy door slammed shut behind her.

Sigyn felt somewhat sheepish when she looked around the room that she had entered. There was certainly nothing menacing about its appearance. It was just as cozy and inviting as the exterior had promised. Although the furnishings were not grand, every piece was made for comfort. Plump couches were set in front of a roaring fire, thick wool rugs covered the polished wooden floor, and the air was scented with the delicious smell of roasting meat.

"You must be weary and hungry," Angrboda said, taking their cloaks and hanging them on wooden pegs beside the door. "I hope that you will join me for dinner? I was just sitting down to eat."

"We would be most grateful," Loki said in courtly tone, "So long as there is enough. We would not cheat you out of your own meal, my Lady."

Angrboda made a dismissive sound. "Of course not," she assured him. "There is plenty!" She led the pair to a wooden table where she supplied them with fresh baked bread, a crock of butter and cups of icy ale.

"This might be to your liking," she said to Sigyn and sat a wooden trencher full of steaming stew in front of her. Sigyn looked into the bowl and her eyes widened when she recognized a Vanir delicacy that she had enjoyed as a child.

"And for you, my Prince," Angrboda said as she placed a plate in front of Loki. It was an entirely different meal: steaming meat and roasted potatoes.

"Why! This is my very favorite dish!" Loki exclaimed with wonder.

"Is it?" Angrboda said in a guileless voice. "Oh, I'm so pleased! What a coincidence!"

Sigyn felt another prickle of warning race along her skin. How was it possible that the woman had prepared _two_ meals which were _exactly_ what she and Loki liked best? Had she known that they were coming? What purpose did she have in courting their favor? Sigyn was anxious to be alone with Loki to learn if he shared her concerns. In the meantime, the delicious aroma of the stew quickly overpowered her misgivings. She was extremely hungry, and she couldn't think of any reason that Angrboda would have to harm them and so she finally gave in and ate her meal.

It was delicious, even better than the dwarf feast, and she and Loki both ate until they were close to bursting. When they finished, Angrboda cleared the dishes away and then she sat with them in front of the fire.

"We thank you again for your hospitality," Loki said, still speaking in his most prince-like manner. "It was very lucky that we came upon your cottage. I do not know what would have become of us if we had remained outside in the storm."

"You are very welcome, Prince Loki," Angrboda replied sweetly, "But do not call out encounter luck. You were destined to bring the Azimuth to me."

At the mention of the Azimuth, Sigyn's eyes grew wide.

"What are you talking about?" Loki said uneasily.

Angrboda laughed again. "There need be no secrets between us," she said, her honeyed voice soothing away the concern in Loki's eyes. "I am the one who set you on this quest, and who aided you in your travels. I know that you bear the great crown with you- and I will be the one who teaches you to wield it."

" _You_ set us on this quest?" Sigyn interjected.

"The note left outside my doorway..." Loki whispered as the pieces fell into place.

"And the book in grandfather's library," Sigyn added, relieved, at least, to learn that fears of her mother's involvement were unfounded.

Angrboda nodded her head.

"But...why?" Loki pressed. "The note said that Thor would never be king- what quarrels do you have with my brother?"

"None, I assure you," Angrboda answered quickly. "I mean no harm to your brother- but surely you see that he can never rule? More and more of the magic has gone out of the universe. You have seen the ruin of Vanaheim for yourself, and the waste of Jotunheim lies all around us. They say that the last of magic is flowing out of Midgard as well. All of these realms may be enemies of your father, but they are also sacred branches of Yddragsil. A tree cannot live when too many branches are hacked away. The balance must be restored- which is why _you_ must rule the nine realms when Odin is gone."

Sigyn watched Loki's face as Angrboda spoke and was troubled by what she saw. She did not doubt that Loki loved his family, but he had hinted at his jealousy. Now, Angrboda was dangling glory in front of him like a prize and his green eyes glittered with dark ambition that Sigyn had never noticed before.

"What do _you_ get out of this?" Sigyn demanded suspiciously.

Angrboda remained unruffled, "Merely the peace of playing the part that the Norns have declared," she said modestly. "And the knowledge that I have preserved the power of the Nine Realms a little longer. I am a mistress of magic- some have said that I am the most powerful enchantress who has ever lived- and so I take a great interest in preserving the art of sorcery."

"Why don't you put your concerns to the king?" Sigyn pressed. "Odin can be a reasonable man."

For a split second, Sigyn thought that she saw a frown of annoyance mar Angrboda's perfect face, but it was quickly buried behind another radiant smile.

"You are full of questions," the lady said. "But I know that you are weary… We will speak again in the morning."

Angrboda went to the hearth and retrieved a steaming kettle. She poured its contents into a small cup, which she handed to Sigyn.

"This will help you sleep after your long journey," she said. She walked to the sideboard where she uncorked a glass bottle filled with amber liquid and poured a second drink. "This may be more fitting for the thirst of a king." She handed the goblet to Loki.

Sigyn frowned into the steaming mug, unwilling to drink it, even though she knew that she was being petty.

"Delicious!" Loki exclaimed. Sigyn turned her head and saw that he had drained the contents of his goblet.

Angrboda blushed with pleasure at the compliment, and then frowned when she saw that Sigyn had not touched her own drink.

"Is something wrong, my dear?" she asked solicitously.

Loki shot Sigyn a disapproving frown.

"Of course not," Sigyn said in defeat. With a sigh, she lifted the cup to her lips and drank.

The concoction was actually delicious- warm milk sweetened with honey and spices. It settled in her stomach with a pleasant warmth. Almost immediately, Sigyn began to feel drowsy. She lifted a hand to her mouth to cover a yawn.

Angrboda noticed the gesture. "Let me show you to your rooms."

Loki and Sigyn both rose from their seats in front of the fire. Angrboda led them up a staircase and stopped at the first doorway in a long hall.

"Here you are, Lady Sigyn," she said, opening the door and gesturing the girl to go inside. "This will be your chamber."

Sigyn bit her lip and reached out for Loki, unwilling to be separated even in this pleasant house, but he did not take her hand. She turned and shot him a pleading glance, but was met with a cold frown.

"Don't be a child, Sigyn!" he hissed under his breath and then pulled the door closed behind her.

Loki's rejection stung. Sigyn blinked back tears as she walked over to the bed and slipped out of her dress.

She wanted to hurry. Despite his cool dismissal, she fully intended to sneak into Loki's room as soon as he was alone to discuss their situation. The Prince of Asgard might be satisfied of Angrboda's honesty and pure motives, but Sigyn was skeptical and intended to make him listen to her concerns. However, when she reached for the nightgown that had been laid across her pillow, she was momentarily distracted. It looked _exactly_ like the one that had been her favorite as a little girl: butter yellow flannel with a scalloped hem. She held it to her nose and was astonished to discover that it even _smelled_ the way she had remembered. It was faintly perfumed with the scent of crushed lavender and salty air, as though it had been washed and hung out to dry by the laundress at Noatun.

Rather than being comforted by the familiarity, Sigyn was alarmed. _Something_ _was_ _wrong_. She was becoming steadily more and more certain of that fact. She couldn't deny that she was jealous of the other woman, but her concerns went deeper than that. Angrboda was simply too good to be true. She had to make Loki understand.

Sigyn turned toward the door, but before she could take a step, a wave of exhaustion washed over her body. She needed to talk to Loki…but the bed was so inviting. Sigyn's eyes looked down at the deep feather mattress and cotton quilts. _Surely_ _it_ _wouldn_ _'_ _t_ _hurt_ _to_ _lie_ _down_ _for_ _just_ _a_ _few_ _moments?_ _After_ _all,_ _she_ _had_ _walked_ _so_ _far..._

"No!" Sigyn hissed under her breath, willing herself to stay awake, but her body seemed frozen on the spot. Her eyelids were heavy. They dipped so low that her long, dark lashes brushed her cheek.

 _Think_ _about_ _it_ _tomorrow_ _…_ A pleasant voice seemed to whisper in her ear. _Rest_ _now_ _…_ _sleep_ _…_ _the_ _bed_ _is_ _so_ _soft_ _and_ _warm_ _…_

"Soon," Sigyn promised herself, "As soon as I talk to Loki!"

But the lure of sleep was too strong to resist. Sigyn sank down onto the mattress and closed her eyes. In less than a heartbeat, she fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.


	13. Into the Snow

Loki saw the flash of hurt on Sigyn's face before the door slammed shut and he felt a prickle of conscience. It softened the annoyance that he felt toward his companion. He knew that she was exhausted. Still, she was being inexcusably rude to Angrboda.

"I apologize for Sigyn," Loki said as he turned back around to face their lovely hostess. "She's just-"

"Jealous."

Loki blinked in surprise. "I was going to say _tired_ ," he drawled.

"Were you?" Angrboda asked, bemused. "And do you really think that's what it is?" She slipped her arm through his. The gesture was so fluid and so subtle that they had taken several steps down the hallway before Loki realized what had happened. He was shocked by her audacity…but he didn't pull away. "She wants you," Angrboda said bluntly. Loki opened his mouth to answer, but one of Angrboda's hands settled onto his waist and the other on the center of his chest. She peered up at him through thick black lashes. "You wanted her too, I think."

"Wanted?" Loki asked, noting the past tense. He was unable to tear his eyes away from Angrboda's bewitching gaze, even as his mind turned back to Sigyn. He thought about her standing in the throne room in Vanaheim…the night in Hambli's palace…the almost-kiss in the snow… Perhaps the enchantress was right. He _had_ wanted Sigyn then…and had anything changed? It was only hours since he had held her in his arms.

Angrboda was watching his expression closely. He thought that he caught the shadow of a frown on her full, red lips.

"Share another drink with me," she said abruptly, breaking through his musing.

"I shouldn't!" Loki protested, but he was already following her through the doorway into another room.

It was a bedchamber- Angrboda's from the looks of the gowns hung on a peg by the wall and the various bottles and brushes laid out on a bureau near the door. The lady seemed totally unselfconscious of this fact as she walked to a bedside table and uncorked a bottle. She filled a glass with amber liquid and pressed it briefly to her own lips before offering it to Loki.

"My own recipe," she declared.

Loki nodded and then took a long drink. It was unlike any spirit that he had drunk before. It was thick and creamy- and very potent. Almost as soon as he swallowed, his thoughts began to turn hazy. He couldn't remember what he had been thinking just a moment before... something about the ocean…and dwarves…and... snow?

"More?" Angrboda offered, after he had drained the cup. She filled it again.

Loki opened his mouth to protest, but no sound came out. He didn't feel drunk. He was steady on his feet and he was achingly conscious of Angrboda standing in front of him, of bed behind her and the heat of her gaze, but something strange was happening in his mind. It reminded him of a fraying rope. He felt as if he was losing something and knew that he had to stop it. His heart beat faster as he tried to work out what was going on and what to do…He had to remember…he _had_ _to_ _remember_! …to remember... _to_ _…_ remember _what_?

Whatever he had been reaching for was gone.

"Is something the matter?" Angrboda asked, sounding truly concerned. When Loki didn't answer. She caught his hand and guided the vessel to his lips.

Loki drank again. This time, as the potion slipped down his throat, his thoughts grew calmer. He had a vague sense of something that wasn't there- of loss and absence- but he didn't know what it was. By the time he finished the second draught, he had ceased to care.

Angrboda sat down on the mattress and patted the space beside her.

"Now," she purred as he joined her. "Why don't you tell me about your Sigyn?"

Loki 's forehead scrunched in confusion. "My… _what_?" he asked, baffled by the question. "Who?"

Angrboda's lips curled up in malicious glee. "No one," she purred as her hand snaked toward his body again. This time it slipped around his neck and pulled him forward to her lips.

"It's late," she whispered after a long, deep kiss. "It's time that I put you to bed."

* * *

Sigyn awoke in terror as a hand clamped around the back of her neck and yanked her out of bed.

She opened her mouth to scream, but the only thing that came out was a terrified yip. She tried to turn her head, but couldn't. Whatever had grabbed her was holding her out in front of its body. All she knew was that it was fearsomely strong. The grip was never loosened, even though she kicked and snarled and howled.

She was carried all the way down the staircase to the front door. A dark blue arm criss-crossed with ridges and scars reached out to fling it open.

_Frost Giants!_

Sigyn stiffened in fear as her mind supplied what she couldn't see. She knew that the Ironwood was in Jotunheim, but she thought they were safe in Angrboda's cottage. They must have been attacked in the night! _Or_ _else -_ Sigyn's suspicions about the sorceress returned to the forefront of her mind- _perhaps they had been betrayed!_

What had they done to Loki?

Sigyn tried to scream his name. Once again, she didn't recognize the sound that came from her lips.

"Hush, you!" a gruff voice boomed behind her. The giant carried her down the front steps. Then, to her utter astonishment, the giant flung her forward into the snow.

For just a moment, Sigyn was paralyzed by shock as her brain raced to process the past few moments: _A_ _frost_ _giant_ _had_ _dragged_ _her_ _out_ _of_ _bed!_ _She_ _was_ _outside_ _alone_ _in_ _the_ _snow!_ _She_ _didn_ _'_ _t_ _see_ _Loki_ _anywhere!_

It was the last thought that galvanized her. She struggled to her feet, and then jumped when she saw a flash of white fur out of the corner of her eye. She had forgotten about the wolves!

Sigyn held her breath. Very carefully, she turned her head again and then jolted when she realized that it was just behind her! She yelped and tried to twist away, but it the wolf stayed directly on her shoulder. She ran as fast as she could, twisting left and right until she reached a frozen stream that ran behind Angrboda's cottage. She tried to stop , but the ground was too slippery. Her body continued careened forward, coming to a rest at last near the far bank.

Sigyn picked herself up very carefully. The tale of King Salkin falling through the ice was in the forefront of her mind as she listened for signs of cracking. She looked down at her feet, and then did a double take.

The surface of the frozen stream smooth and clear. Peering down, she saw a pure white wolf looking up at her from _under_ the ice.

Sigyn scrambled backwards.

The wolf moved back as well. Sigyn tilted her head, and the wolf moved in perfect time.

Sigyn held perfectly still and examined the animal. The wolf was smaller than the animals that had tracked them the night before, and it had a chain and pendant around its neck. Sigyn's eyes narrowed when she realized that it looked exactly like the one that she wore…and there was something familiar about the animal's cool blue eyes.

A sickening realization crept over Sigyn as she slowly turned her head to the side. There, where her feet should be, were a set of furry paws. _She_ _was_ _the_ _wolf_ _!_ What she saw was her own reflection!

 _Angrboda_ _did_ _this_! Sigyn thought, deciding at once that the sorceress was to blame. The sense of satisfaction at seeing through the other woman was short-lived, however. Loki was still in danger, and he was the only person who might be able to change her back!

Sigyn retraced her pawprints in the snow until she was back at the cottage. She made a circle around the house, looking for Loki, but her hopes were dashed. There was no sign of the prince- or of a second wolf.

After determining that Loki wasn't outside the house, she tried to get inside again. Nothing happened when she scratched at the door and so she went back to the side of the house where firewood had been stacked under a window.

Sigyn leapt on top of the woodpile and peeked into the window.

Through the glass, Sigyn could see the main hall where they had all shared dinner the night before. It looked just as cozy and inviting as ever. The dishes from the night before had been put away, but something was bubbling in a caldron hung over the fire. It was early morning, and there was no sign that the inhabitants of the house were stirring- or of the frost giant who had thrown Sigyn into the snow. She tried the front door again and pawed at a few more windows, but eventually she climbed back onto the pile of logs and settled down to wait.

Hours passed and the sun rose high in the sky. Sigyn worried about Loki. Of course, she had only known the Prince for a little while, but it seemed unusual for him to sleep so late. She was about to give up hope and try the door again when she heard footsteps on the stairs.

Sigyn craned her neck forward to get a better view as two figures came into view. The first was Angrboda. Automatically, the fur on the back of her neck rose and a low growl formed in her throat. She was calmed, however, when she saw that the second person in the room was Loki. He was laughing and seemed at ease. Relief swept over Sigyn's new body- but the sensation didn't last for long. She couldn't make out what was being said, but she could watch expressions. Angrboda said something that must have been funny because Loki laughed- then he bent forward and kissed her on the lips.

Pain, as deep and as sudden as the stab of a knife, lanced through Sigyn's heart. The jealousy that she felt the night before boiled hot in her veins, and she couldn't contain an anguished howl. She must have been louder than she thought. Both faces turned toward the window. Loki stepped forward, frowning. Sigyn felt his eyes sweep over her. For just a moment, his eyes met hers.

" _Loki!_ _It_ _'_ _s_ _me!_ _"_ She called through _kahalan,_ _"_ _You_ _have_ _to_ _help_ _me!_ _Angrboda_ _turned_ _me_ _into_ _a_ _wolf!_ _You_ _'_ _re_ _in_ _danger!_ _"_

Sigyn felt a bubble of hope spring up in her chest when she saw Loki wince and grab his temple. He must had heard her! The bubble deflated, however, when the look of confusion on his face only grew, and burst completely when Sigyn pushed him aside.

"GO!" the sorceress hissed. Despite the barrier of the wall and window, Sigyn heard the word so loudly that it rang in her ears. It hit her like a physical push, knocking her off of the woodpile to tumble back into the snow. Sigyn whimpered, but tried to climb back up. Craning her neck, she could still see Loki's face through the glass, watching her intently.

" _Help_ _me!_ _"_ she called out to him again.

Loki turned. She thought that he must have said something to Angrboda, because the woman scowled and led him away from the window.

" _Loki!_ _Come_ _back!_ _"_ Sigyn begged him. Then, a new sound caught her attention: a low, menacing growl. She turned around and saw three of the huge wolves like the ones that they had seen in the forest the day before.

Any hope that they might ignore one of their own kind was dashed when she saw the raised hackles on their backs and their barred teeth. Their leader reared back on his hind legs, preparing to lunge- which is when Sigyn's instincts kicked in. She leapt off of the firewood and darted into the woods.

In her regular body, Sigyn wouldn't have stood a chance, and so she was temporarily grateful for the speed, grace and enhanced hearing that her wolf body offered. She could hear the wolves behind her as she raced past the towering black trees.

Sigyn tried everything that she could think of to lose the pack, but it wasn't any use. Even if she could evade their sense of smell, tracks in the fresh-fallen snow revealed her every move. Finally, when she was about to give up hope, she spied a hollow log that was half-buried in the snow.

Given the size of the trees in the Iron Wood, it must have been a sapling when it keeled over. It was large enough for Sigyn to wriggle inside, but was too small for the wolves that tracked her. She dove inside and hoped for a miracle.

It only took a few seconds for the wolves to find her. Two of them pawed at the openings on either end, trying to squeeze inside. Another jumped on top of the log and paced back and forth, as if he was looking for a weakness in the wood. They were unsuccessful. The lead wolf raised his head and howled into the wind. An answering howl called back from the darkness beneath the trees. The wolves went still and silent. She thought that they might have lost interest, when she saw a fourth wolf step out of the woods.

The last wolf was slightly smaller than the others- though just as daunting. His fur was black, tinged with silver. It was shaggy in places. One ear was ripped and a deep scratch crossed his face, but he wore the battle scars proudly. A dark intelligence radiated out of the animal. Despite her warm fur, Sigyn shivered at his approach. The wolf didn't try to dig his way into the log. Instead, he walked to the side, passing out of Sigyn's view. She didn't know he was doing until the log began to roll sideways. Sigyn realized that he and the others were pushing it with their snouts.

Sigyn felt slightly dizzy as the log rolled over, but she didn't grow alarmed until they picked up speed. She realized that they were pushing her down a hill- and she had no idea what was at the bottom! Panicked, she tried to squirm her way back outside, but the log was rolling too fast. It bumped painfully along the ground, hitting rocks and stumps along the way. Finally, there was a moment of weightlessness, a crunch and then a splash. They had pushed her into the stream!

Sigyn crawled out of the log and into icy water. Even through her pelt, the cold felt like needles on her skin. She waded to the edge of the ice and climbed up. She had barely regained her feet before one of the wolves pounced. Sigyn tried to twist away, inadvertently exposing her neck. She felt razor sharp teeth sink through her fur. Then, with a loud yelp, her attacker let her go.

She raced away from the water, back up onto the bank. Only then did she stop to look back and see what had happened. The clearing was filled with wolves- but they were fighting one another!

Sigyn managed to count up to twelve of the huge animals before she gave up. Fur and teeth were flying so quickly that it was impossible to keep count. She kept her attention on the dark wolf. He had faced off against a huge cream and silver animal that was backing him toward the broken ice.

The dark wolf was only a footstep away from icy death when he finally made his move. He feinted forward, causing his opponent to step off balance. Then, he pressed his advantage. He dove forward, burying his teeth in the other wolf's throat and refusing to let go.

Sigyn's eyes widened at the sight- not simply because of the violence. The victim continued to whine and thrash, but something strange was taking place. As he grew weaker, the silver wolf's fur seemed to peel away. By the time that the creature finally stilled it was a the body of a man, wrapped up in the pelt of a wolf.

Satisfied with his work, the dark wolf finally let go, leaving the man to sputter and choke out his dying breaths. The black animal snapped and snarled at a new opponent, but the tide of the battle had somehow turned. Two of the wolves that had attacked Sigyn were laying dead on the ice, still in their animal forms, and the fourth was racing back into the woods. The dark wolf continued to hiss and snarl as though he were displeased by the loss. In the end, however, he also ran away, leaving the victors alone.

Sigyn maintained her hiding place, hoping to go unnoticed. She knew that she should probably seize the opportunity to run away, but she couldn't stop herself from watching the second wolf-pack with fascination. The bodies of their enemies were ignored, but they rolled the corpse of the man onto his wolf pelt and dragged him to the edge of the woods. Working together, they nudged the man's limbs until his legs were straight and his hands were folded at his chest. They folded the wolf pelt over him like a blanket. Then, one by one, they travelled to the riverbank, gathering stones in their mouth. They returned to the man and deposited them, first at his sides, but then on top of the body, raising it in a burial cairn.

" _At least we die as men."_

Sigyn when she realized that one of the wolves was standing beside her. It was another cream and silver, and _huge_ \- although nothing else appeared threatening. He was standing calmly, regarding Sigyn with strangely human eyes. She started again when she realized that she had heard the voice inside her head.

" _You_ _know_ _the_ _mindsong?_ " Sigyn answered.

The wolf whined and rubbed his head on the ground in reaction to Sigyn's clumsy attempt.

" _Better_ _than_ _you,_ _I_ _think_ _…"_ he growled, _"_ _It_ _was_ _the_ _language_ _of_ _my_ _people._ _"_

" _Your_ _people?_ _"_ Sigyn regarded him strangely. " _How_ _can_ _that_ _be?_ _"_

" _I_ _am_ _Grevis,_ _a_ _warrior_ _of_ _Vanaheim,_ _but_ _one_ _of_ _the_ _wolf-mother_ _'_ _s many_ _victims._ _We_ _are_ _the_ _witch_ _'_ _s_ _servants_ _now_ _…"_ The wolf answered sadly. " _But_ _once_ _we_ _were_ _our_ _own._ _"_

Sigyn felt the anguish in his words. She was afraid to ask how long he had been transformed. Instead, she looked toward the man who was being buried and the two dead wolves that lay untended in the snow.

" _How_ _did_ _he_ _change_ _back?_ _"_ she asked. " _And_ _what_ _about_ _the_ _others?_ _"_

" _The_ _others_ _are_ _the_ _witch_ _'_ _s_ _children,_ _"_ the wolf replied with contempt. " _They_ _never_ _knew_ _their_ _other_ _selves_ _…_ _but for Skion,"_ he paused to dip his head in respect toward the fallen warrior, " _death_ _'_ _s_ _magic_ _is_ _stronger_ _than_ _the_ _witch._ _As_ _sleep_ _approaches,_ _her_ _power_ _breaks._ _"_

" _There_ _has_ _to_ _be_ _another_ _way to undo the spell!_ _"_ Sigyn insisted. " _I_ _have_ _to_ _change_ _back!_ _I_ _have_ _to_ _warn_ _Loki!_ _He_ _is_ _still_ _a_ _prisoner_ _in Angrboda's_ _house!_ _He_ _'_ _s_ _in_ _danger!_ _"_

" _Loki?_ _"_ Grevis's amber eyes widened. " _Odin_ _'_ _s_ _son_?"

Sigyn nodded.

" _If_ _she_ _has_ _taken_ _the_ _Allfather_ _'_ _s_ _son,_ _then_ _we_ _are_ _all_ _in_ _danger,_ _"_ Grevis said. " _The_ _witch_ _'_ _s_ _preparations_ _are_ _nearly_ _complete._ _"_

Sigyn wanted to ask what he meant, but before she could speak again, one of the wolves in the valley raised his head and howled.

" _The_ _others_ _are_ _returning_ ," Grevis said. " _We_ _must_ _go_ … _Come,_ _we_ _will_ _give_ _you_ _shelter_ _and_ _aid_ _as_ _we_ _are_ _able._ _Perhaps_ _together_ _we_ _can_ _devise_ _a way_ _to_ _thwart_ _her_ _evil_ _plans._ _"_


	14. Domestication

Loki dreamed of the ocean- of an ever-shifting canvas of turquoise, cerulean, azure and sapphire blue, and the rhythmic crush and flow of waves against sun-warmed sand. He dreamed of wildflowers pushing their bright heads between craggy cliffs and of the cry of seagulls wheeling overhead. He dreamed about a woman standing at the edge of the water, dabbing her toes in the tide. He couldn't see her face. The wind was whipping auburn curls around her head. He tried to call out her name, but he couldn't summon the word to his lips.

He was still struggling to pull the answer from his mind when he became aware of tiny kisses on his neck and sunlight warming his face.

He opened his eyes.

The dream began to fade.

"No!" Loki cried aloud, but it wasn't any use. The vision was gone. Loki was awake in an unfamiliar bed.

"Good morning, husband," a woman lying next to him said. She was not the vision from his dream. Her hair was coal black, and there was a sparkle of mischief in her eyes that was at odds with the serenity of the lady by the water. _Angrboda..._ This name came readily to Loki's mind, although he wasn't certain where he was- or how he had gotten there.

Angrboda was already awake, propped up on one slender arm, watching him intently as he processed what she had said.

Loki's brow furrowed. "Husband...?"

"Have you forgotten already?" Angrboda answered with a laugh. One of her cool white hands smoothed over his chest and she moved to straddle his hips. "Perhaps you need another reminder?"

Loki didn't have an answer for what Angrboda did next. Pleasure, almost too intense to endure, chased the questions out of his mind. Very soon, his lover had banished the doubts from his consciousness. When they finally climbed out of bed, hours later, the memory of the dream was gone, replaced with vague recollections of the stories Angrboda had told him: how Odin had refused his marriage to a simple sorceress, how they had run away, how they had tricked Hambli and the dwarfs to steal the Azimuth...

"And now we are home," Angrboda said. "I can teach you how to wield the Azimuth and together we can reclaim what is rightfully yours..."

Loki nodded his head in agreement with the woman's words, embarrassed to admit that he didn't really know what she was talking about.

"The dwarfs cast a spell on you," Angrboda reassured him. "It was part of their tricks...but the enchantment will fade in time and all of your memories will return. You have me to look out for you until then."

Loki nodded his head and smiled, despite his misgivings. He hated that he couldn't remember how he and Angrboda had met...their first kiss...the decision to flee from Asgard. It was all a blank. As beautiful and as accommodating as Angrboda was, he hated being dependent, but it appeared that he had no choice.

Angrboda eventually emerged from the bed, pulling on a dress and slippers. He followed her lead, donning the clean trousers and tunic that were folded in a chair nearby and then he followed his wife down the stairs to eat.

"I hope that feel like eating eggs and honeycakes," Angrboda said as they walked down the stairs. "That is what I'm serving for breakfast."

Loki made a sound of approval. Angrboda _must_ know him well- honeycakes were his very favorite morning meal. "I love them," he assured her.

"I know," she responded smugly, "We had them at our first breakfast together."

"Did we?" Loki asked.

Angrboda nodded. "You ate a whole basket."

"I see!" Loki responded in mock-annoyance. "You're trying to fatten me up!"

"Don't worry," Angrboda teased him back, "I'll see that you get plenty of exercise so that you don't grow fat."

Loki laughed and then pulled her toward him. He planted a kiss on her cherry red lips.

Angrboda moaned in approval. She opened her mouth, coaxing him to deepen the touch. Loki was about to submit when a terrifying sound rang through the cottage: the anguished howl of a wolf!

The call was so loud and so near that Loki thought at first that the animal was in the hall. Glancing around, however, he saw that the cry had actually come from outside.

A wolf was perched on top of a woodpile underneath the window, its head reared back as is made its baleful yowl. It was one of the most exquisite beasts that he had ever seen: large, but graceful, with fur so white that the creature was almost invisible against the snow. Light blue eyes, a black nose and a pink tongue were the only points of color that he could see. His gaze swept over the animal. For just a second, their eyes met.

" _Loki!_ _It's_ _me!_ _You_ _have_ _to_ _help_ _me!_ _Angrboda_ _turned_ _me_ _into_ _a_ _wolf!_ _You're_ _in_ _danger!_ _"_

Loki staggered backwards, clutching his head as a stabbing pain glanced through his temple. Despite the discomfort, he tried to look at the wolf again. He thought that he had heard it speak!

Loki felt Angrboda's hand on his arm, pushing him back from the window.

"GO!" she cried at the creature.

The wolf scrambled backwards, falling off the stack of logs. It landed inelegantly in the snow, but immediately climbed back again.

" _Help_ _me!_ _"_

"Angrboda- I think that wolf is trying to...to _talk_!" Loki said. "I think-!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" The sorceress hissed. She pulled him back toward the kitchen. "They come around here looking for food. Just ignore it."

"But-!" Loki started to protest, but Angrboda practically shoved a honeycake into his mouth.

"Don't you like that, darling?" she cooed, changing the subject. Her voice regained a calm, solicitous tone, but he could read the tension in her body.

"It's delicious," he said absently, not really tasting the sweet. "But the wolf-!"

"I have it under control," Angrboda said. She walked to the wall and took down a silver whistle on a leather thong that was hung there on a peg. She brought the instrument to her lips and blew. To Loki's ears there was no sound at all, but Angrboda smiled before she returned it to the shelf. "Eat your breakfast," she said firmly. "We have a lot of work to do."

Loki fought back the desire to scowl. He didn't mind being fawned over, but he _did_ object to being treated like a child. He was certain that there was something about the wolf that Angrboda wasn't telling him- but she refused to engage in the conversation again.

After breakfast, Angrboda led Loki into a small workroom at the back of the house. Loki made a sound of appreciation as he crossed the threshold. Despite it's modest size, it was a sorcerer's wonderland, stocked from ceiling to floor with books of spells, potions ingredients and every other manner of implement that was useful in magic. He ran his hands over the flasks and bottles and scrolls, itching with the desire to start concocting new enchantments- but uncertain where to start first!

Loki's pride was stung by the notion that Angrboda's skill exceeded his own, but it was apparent from her first demonstration that the sorceress had much to teach. They passed several hours reviewing basic spells and curses before Loki remembered the crystal crown.

"The power of the Azimuth is great," Angrboda warned him. "You must be prepared before you wield it, or King Salkin's fate will be better than your own."

Loki frowned, insulted. "I used it already to find my way here!" he said without thinking. He remembered huddling in the mouth of a cave, surrounded by wolves, with the temperature dropping...

"What?" Angrboda exclaimed. Her voice was unusually loud and high. "No you didn't...darling- I know the way to my own home! We came through the crack in the mountain at the mouth of the stream! That's the way from Asgard. I led you here."

Loki blinked, surprised. He tried to concentrate on the flash of memory that had popped into his mind, but Angrboda's voice interrupted.

"You're tired and confused," she said tenderly. "And no wonder! I should have had your dinner hours ago! Come, darling!" She plucked a spellbook out of his hand and led him back to the kitchen.

After dinner, Angrboda poured Loki a cup of mead. "Drink up, my love," she encouraged him, watching until every drop was gone. "Tomorrow we can start working with the Azimuth," she told him. "You know- I was thinking about what you said earlier- about finding our way home..."

"Finding our way home?" Loki repeated, but he didn't have any idea what she was talking about. "Did we talk about that?"

"I must have been mistaken," Angrboda said with a devious grin. "Now, darling- we should go to bed."

That night, Loki dreamed of the ocean again. This time, instead of the woman, it was a wolf at the edge of the waves. The sea winds ruffled it's pure white fur as it ran back and forth in the surf.

" _Loki,_ _help_ _me!_ _"_ A voice cried out. " _Angrboda_ _turned_ _me_ _into_ _a_ _wolf!_ _You're_ _in_ _danger!_ "

He tried to help, but his feet refused to move. Loki simply stood and watched, the pleas ringing in his ears, as the wolf moved further and further away.

* * *

The second day passed much as the first. Loki was awoken by Angrboda's kisses. After an extended bout of lovemaking, they headed downstairs to eat.

This time, there was no sign of the white wolf. Fresh snow had fallen during the night, erasing any sign of its presence the day before. Loki felt disappointed. There was something odd about the wolf- a mystery that he wanted to solve- but once again, Angrboda allowed him very little time for contemplation. After breakfast, she led him into the workshop to practice magic again.

This time, as promised, Angrboda placed the Azimuth on top of Loki's head. "You must remember Salkin's downfall," she told him, "and be very careful about the questions that you ask. If you seek out the answers to trivialities, you will quickly become disoriented and confused- and the weight of the knowledge will become too much to bear. Remember that the Azimuth is a tool to aid the cause of your people, and not a toy...You should only pose queries that will aid your realm...issues worthy of a king."

"Such as?" Loki asked.

"Such as..." Angrboda paused, "Such as: What are the weaknesses in Asgard's defenses? That is an important thing to know! It can stave off an attack! Here...close your eyes and focus..."

Loki did as he was told, giving all of his attention to the question. At first, nothing happened. Then, the crown began to glow.

" _Walls..._ _"_

He heard the word inside his mind and then repeated it aloud to Angrboda.

"Excellent!" she exclaimed.

"That's _all_?" Loki asked, underwhelmed.

Angrboda nodded her head eagerly. "Yes, of course- you can't expect the crown to spell out _everything,_ can you? It told you what you need to focus on...Now, as king, you know to focus on the walls. What sort of weaknesses can you think of?"

Loki pondered Angrboda's words, deciding that she might have a point. Off the top of his head, he could think of a handful of issues with Asgard's outer defenses. They stones were old. During the long peace, Odin had allowed portions to fall into disrepair.

"The river gates have rusted open," Loki said after a long pause. "They still look sound, but it wouldn't be possible to close them in a hurry...and the east wall has a crack in its foundation. It is starting to crumble. Father was going to rebuild it, but his advisers claimed that there wasn't any need..."

"Excellent!" Angrboda exclaimed. She coaxed two more problems out of Loki before she put the crown away. "Remember, with every answer, the crown will become heavier and more difficult to use. That is why it is important that you don't become _too_ dependent and always remember to use your own intelligence to supplement what it says."

After practicing with the Azimuth, Loki and Angrboda turned their attention to more mundane forms of magic. Once again, they worked until after the sun had set. They ate their dinner. Then, just before bed, Angrboda gave Loki a cup of mead.

Very quickly, they settled into a routine. They rose from bed well after the sun had risen, broke their fast, and then worked with the Azimuth. Angrboda usually suggested the questions. She encouraged Loki to ask about the strength of Odin's army and the ways that the ranks could be improved, to inquire about the fortifications of the palace, and ways that the royal family were at risk, to think about intrigues at the court and how blackmail might disrupt the government, about who was truly loyal and who he thought turned traitor in the face of a threat.

After every session, Angrboda locked the Azimuth away inside a wooden chest. "In case of thieves," she told Loki, hinting that Jotun raiders would occasionally wander up the cottage path. She never let Loki ask the questions that _he_ suggested, such as: why he still hadn't recovered his memories, if his family had noticed his absence, and- most importantly- if he would ever be allowed to go home.

"Those are not the questions of a king," Angrboda said, her sweet voice temporarily taking on a tone of condescension. "They are the worries of a frightened boy- which is something that you, my love, _are_ _not_. The answers to those queries are for time and the Norns to reveal."

Loki didn't dare to mention the other things he wanted to ask: Had the white wolf really spoken to him? Why did it haunt his dreams? And who was the woman by the water?

Loki was not an overly patient man, and so it was frustrating to wait for a chance to use the crown on his own. Weeks slipped past. Night and day, Angrboda was always at his side. Some evenings, when the moon was full, Angrboda would blow on her silver whistle and the wolves would gather at the cottage, laying tributes of wild game and fish on the steps outside the door. Loki was alarmed the first time that it happened- each of the animals was three times Angrboda's size with razor-sharp claws and four inch teeth, but the enchantress was undaunted. Loki quickly discerned that the whistle gave Angrboda power over the beasts. Even the most timid and reluctant would step forward at its call.

A large black wolf with shaggy fur and a scratched face seemed to be Angrboda's favorite. He came to her side even without the whistle and she rewarded him with chunks of meat and lavish praise. Once or twice, the sorceress followed the animal into the woods, but only for a moment or two. Loki was never outside of Angrboda's sight for long.

At first, the woman's constant company and fawning appreciation had been a balm to Loki's lonely soul, but his enjoyment started wearing thin. For all of the time that they spent together, there was no closeness between them. Angrboda was as much a mystery to him now as she had been the first morning that he woke up in her bed- and not one that he was particularly keen to unravel.

As much as he admired Angrboda's beauty, coveted her skill at magic and enjoyed her talents in the bedroom, Loki knew that his words were a lie when he parroted back the "I love you" that she told him every night. He still couldn't remember their first days together, so he didn't know if his feelings for Angrboda had faded or if they had never been true at all. Perhaps he had married the woman to further some purpose? Maybe it was the only way that he could convince her to share her knowledge of sorcery? Loki knew himself too well to doubt that these might have been his motives- but until his memories returned, there was only one way to find out. He had no choice but to bide his time until Angrboda finally left him by himself.

Spring- such as it was- came to the Iron Wood. Snow continued to blanket the ground, but the stream behind the cottage thawed. A few brave flowers pushed their blossoms up through the icy carpet, making the occasional splotch of color on the endless expanse of white. Inside the cottage, Life continued as usual. Loki felt that he would soon go mad with boredom. He was surprised- and relieved- when Angrboda announced one evening that Loki would have to spend the night without her.

"There is something that I must tend to in the forest," Angrboda said cryptically, and then stopped talking. Her features tensed as though she were in pain. She moaned quietly. A moment later, her face relaxed again. "I will return to you in the morning. Your supper is on the stove and your mead is by the bed."

Loki nodded. He was curious about Angrboda's errand, but anxious for her to leave.

Loki walked Angrboda to the door and then watched until she disappeared into the woods. As soon as he was certain that she had gone, he slipped into the workroom to retrieve the crown.

Angrboda's chest was locked and warded, but Loki quickly defeated the spell. He settled the crown onto his head and then took a steadying breath.

"When will I return to Asgard?" he asked. He waited for the familiar blue glow...but this time, nothing happened.

"When will I return to Asgard?" Loki asked again. This time, he spoke the question out loud, in case that made a difference.

"Who is the woman by the water in my dream?" Loki demanded when she silence continued. Then, when there was still no reply, he tried a question that he had asked many times before. "What are the weaknesses in Asgard's defenses?"

There was still no reply. The Azimuth remained silent and dim.

Loki took the crown off of his head and turned it over in his hands, trying to figure out what was wrong. He retraced his actions and compared them with what he had done in Angrboda's presence that very morning. Everything was _exactly_ the same!

 _Except_ _for_ _the_ _fact_ _that_ _Angrboda_ _isn't_ _here..._ A treacherous little whisper invaded his thoughts and refused to be pushed aside. Loki searched for another way to account for what had happened, but his efforts were in vain. Angrboda was doing something to affect the crown- that was the only explanation that made sense. But why? There was something that she wasn't telling him. Loki was suddenly certain that his wife was not entirely what she seemed.

Anger bubbled up inside of him. His first instinct was to storm through the woods after her and to demand the answers he sought- but he was not as impulsive as his brother, Thor. He quickly regained his composure and thought his options through. Confrontation was a dangerous tactic. If he let on that he knew Angrboda was keeping secrets, she would probably redouble the effort that she took to conceal them and he might never learn the truth. Although it galled him, Loki realized that his best chance at uncovering her plan was to pretend that nothing was wrong.

Swallowing his anger, Loki put the Azimuth back in its hiding place. He ate the dinner that Angrboda had left for him, and then climbed up the stairs to bed.

Loki was feeling calmer as he changed his clothes. As long as Angrboda thought that everything was normal, he held the upper hand. He was a master of deception and he was confident that he could quickly unravel her lies. It was only a matter of time until all was revealed.

Loki actually managed a small smile as he climbed into bed. Out of habit, he reached for the cup of mead on the bedside table, but his hand stilled just before the drink reached his mouth. Angrboda prepared the drink for him ever night. It was possible that this was simply something that she did to please him- but all of her actions were suspect now. Loki carried the cup to the fireplace and tossed its contents onto the flames before returning to bed.

He briefly regretted his actions. Without the alcohol, his mind refused to settle and it was a long time before he fell asleep. When he finally managed it, he dreamed of the ocean yet again.

The white wolf was running through the waves.

" _Loki_ , _help_ _me!_ _"_ a familiar voice cried out again. " _Angrboda_ _turned_ _me_ _into_ _a_ _wolf!_ _You're_ _in_ _danger!_ "

This time, he found the source of the voice. The animal suddenly disappeared, replaced by the woman with auburn hair. At last, she turned toward him. He was stunned to see that she had the same light blue eyes as the wolf. They were full of fear and warning.

He reached for her and tried to scream out her name. It was on the tip of his tongue. Loki could feel the words forming in his throat, but he couldn't push them past his lips.

Behind the woman, a giant wave was cresting. Huge and dark, it was speeding toward the shore, but she was facing toward him. She didn't see it!

_He had to answer! He had to warn her! He had to remember her name!_

Loki awoke with a start. His skin was icy, but the sheets were drenched in sweat. A name was on his lips.

"Sigyn." He spoke into the darkness.

He had to save her. He had to get her back.


	15. Mother of Monsters

Sigyn hunkered low as she crept toward the unsuspecting deer. The animal turned its head and she froze. The doe scanned the vast expanse of snow, but Sigyn's pure white pelt rendered her almost invisible. She started forward again. Sigyn was close enough to pounce before the prey even realized that she was there.

The deer's body jolted in surprise and then she bounded into the woods, but it was too late. Sigyn had forced her into a trap. Mere seconds passed before the sound of snarls and snapping jaws carried back from the copse of trees where Sigyn's victim had attempted retreat. A little while later Grevis emerged, a bloody haunch of meat clasped between his teeth. He laid his burden at Sigyn's feet.

" _Your highness_ ," he said respectfully, bending down over his forepaws in an approximation of a bow.

Sigyn tossed her head in acknowledgment and the other wolf trotted away to claim his own share of the hunt.

Sigyn glanced down at the chunk of severed leg. It was still warm and bloody, leaving a gory scarlet stain on the pristine snow. There was a time when the sight alone would have been enough to turn her stomach, but it didn't bother her now. Sigyn felt practically eager when she picked the meat up with her mouth - and that scared her worst of all.

Sigyn didn't know how much time had passed since her transformation into a wolf, but it was getting harder and harder to hope that she would ever be a woman again.

Grevis and his pack had done their best to help Sigyn through the first frightening days after her transformation. They taught her how to hunt for food. They helped her find shelter under the roots of a tree. They offered protection from the pack of wild wolves. Most importantly of all, they offered companionship at a time that Sigyn was feeling profoundly alone.

Without hands or fingers, the wolves couldn't build a fire, but they huddled together on the coldest nights, sharing stories of their lives before they wandered into the Ironwood and the clutches of the evil witch. Only a few of the wolves had been warriors of Vanaheim, but they used the _kahalan_ to serve as voices for the men who hailed from Asgard and the other realms. With constant practice, Sigyn's own skills rapidly improved and she was able to tell them of her past as well.

Sigyn liked to hear about her companions' lives before the War. They had been farmers, merchants, soldiers, artists, fathers and sons. The tales they spun were full of adventure and laughter. Eventually, however, they had all been pulled into the final conflict of the nine realms and joined the army- first, for their own people, and then for the Allfather in his final assault on Jotunheim.

The Bifrost carried most of Odin's warriors home after their victory in the Winter Realm, but some were left behind. A few were mistaken for dead after the battle or simply misplaced by their units. Whatever the reason, they were stranded on Jotunheim, forced to rely on their wits and the Old Roads to find their way home. The Old Road that many followed led through the Ironwood. For the soldiers, just as it had been for Loki and Sigyn, Angrboda's cottage was a welcome sight. The witch invited them into her home and- very shortly thereafter- into her bed. For a time, the men felt that they had died and gone to Valhalla- but it wasn't long before Angrboda's ardor cooled and they awoke in the bodies of wolves. Even worse, the sorceress had borne some of their children. The dark wolf and his pack were all the abominal offspring of the sorceress and her prey. There were others as well, but the men were unwilling to speak of their fates, so Sigyn was left to imagine what the evil woman had done.

The sorceress controlled the animals with a silver whistle that she kept in her hut. Even Sigyn was unable to resist its painful screech. Almost every month, when the moon was full, the witch would send a call out into the woods, demanding that the wolves bring her meat in tribute to her power.

Sigyn tried her hardest to resist the sound, but her wolf body reacted without her conscious command. She felt as if invisible strings were lifting her paws, one after the other, and dragging her through the snow. The only consolation of these dreaded events was the chance of seeing Loki. Sigyn had spied him once standing in the doorway behind the witch. She tried to call out to his mind, but the witch must have noticed. Angrboda shot her a glare, puffed twice on the silver whistle, and Sigyn and the other wolves immediately scattered back into the trees.

Sigyn hated the whistle. Quite apart from the humiliation of being manipulated like a marionette, the little trinket was the most significant obstacle to saving Loki and breaking free. Night and day, Sigyn schemed for a way to defeat the enchantment and warn the prince. She dreamed of breaking into the cottage, of killing the enchantress or even getting close enough to send Loki another message through the kahalan, but all of her plans were impossible so long as the witch retained the power to bend the wolves to her will.

Despite her frustration, Sigyn could not put Loki out of her mind. Every evening, as the cold Jotun sun disappeared behind the trees, she climbed the ridge behind Angrboda's cottage and stared down at the little house.

This night was no exception to Sigyn's routine. She hungrily devoured her deer and gnawed for a little while on the bone. Then, as the light began to fade, she left her den and crept up the hill.

Lights were on inside the cottage. Sigyn watched them for a while, hoping to glimpse shadows against the wall. Eventually, she tucked her paws underneath her chest and sank down into the snow, expecting another cold, boring night of vigil. She had only been watching for a few minutes, however, when something strange happened. The front door of the cottage opened and Angrboda stepped out into the night.

Sigyn's ears pricked up at the sound of footsteps and she watched the witch step across the creek and enter the woods. Her fur tingled with foreboding when she realized that the witch was headed toward her. She laid as sill and as silent as she could be until the woman walked past. Then, unable to ignore her curiosity, she fell into Angrboda's wake.

The witch had travelled more than a mile when the wind shifted. Sigyn momentarily stiffened when she caught the scent of another wolf- but she relaxed a moment later. She smell was familiar.

" _Grevis_?" she called out with her mind.

There was a moment of hesitation. Then the large male wolf crept to her side.

" _What are you doing_?" Grevissaid in answer, " _It isn't safe to stalk the witch_."

" _I'm not stalking her_ ," Sigyn answered. " _I just want to see where she is going_."

" _To the stone circle_ ," Grevis answered. " _Five moons have passed. She's probably whelping again_."

" _Whelping?"_ Sigyn echoed, not understanding at first. When realization dawned, her stomach clutched in horror. " _You mean…she's going to have a child_?"

 _Loki's child_ , Sigyn thought, her heart shattering anew with the words. Over the past months, she had decided that her feelings for the prince went deeper than friendship. She loved him. She believed that he was starting to love her too- and this is how she was repaid? She had imagined Loki held hostage in the witch's house. In reality, he was just like all of the other men.

Grevis must have sensed Sigyn's distress, because he gave her a reassuring nudge with his muzzle. " _It is just another of the Wolfmother's tricks_ ," he told her. " _She is using him to build her army of monster- just as she used the rest of us."_

" _Army of monsters_?" Sigyn cocked her head to the side in confusion.

" _I will show you."_

Sigyn was reluctant to leave Angrboda's trail, but Grevis assured her they could find it again. He took her along a rocky cliff, across an icy stream and then up a steep hill.

 _"Look_ ," he said, and then nodded toward a pit that had been carved out of the ice.

Sigyn did as he asked- and immediately wished that she hadn't. She scrambled backwards in horror at the sight that met her eyes.

The pit was filled with hideous creatures of every form. A few had the general shape of men, but they were mangled and malformed. Some of the things were merely beasts: strange combinations of wolves, ettins, reptiles and even birds that were held to the ground with iron chains. Most of the monsters looked lethal, with giant claws and fangs. A cacophony of noises rose out of their midst: hoots, growls, screams and nameless sounds that caused the hair on the back of Sigyn's neck to stand on end.

" _Angrboda's army_ ," Grevis said, unable to completely hide the fear in his voice.

" _What does she want with them_?"

Grevis blinked at her. " _Isn't it obvious_?"" he asked. " _To make war with the Allfather_."

Sigyn's eyes widened in alarm when she realized that Angrboda posed a threat to much more than Loki and herself.

" _Why_?" Sigyn was about to ask the question when the witch herself wandered back into sight. She seemed to be headed for a crude lean-to shelter constructed next to the pit.

From her high perch, Sigyn was able to see everything as Angrboda entered the shelter and then sat down in the snow. The witch laid a hand across her still-flat stomach and seemed to whisper something under her breath. Snow began to swirl around the enchantress. Faster and faster the flakes whipped around her body until it was a blur. Sigyn looked to Grevis for explanation, but he remained silent, his gaze intent on the scene below. When Sigyn looked back again, the effect was beginning to fade- but she was startled again. In the place of the lovely sorceress stood a terrifying Jotun!

" _Angrboda_ _is_ _a_ _frost_ _giant!_ _"_ Sigyn yelped, thinking back to the morning when she had been unceremoniously tossed out of her bed and into the snow.

The witch looked nothing like the pleasing form that she had worn to lure Loki and Sigyn into her home. Now she was roughly three times her original height. She still had long, black hair, but it was twisted into thick, matted braids adorned with objects that had been carved from human bones. Lines and ridges crisscrossed her skin. The gown that Angrboda had worn in her human form was discarded on the ground. The giantess was completely bare. Six teats, swollen with milk, were along her chest and her now grotesquely swollen belly. She paced back and forth, moaning under her breath and clutching her stomach. The eerie blue skin was stretched so taut that Sigyn could see the muscles flexing and clenching underneath.

Sigyn didn't want to look, but she couldn't turn her eyes away from the fearsome enchantress giving birth. She watched, transfixed. Hours passed. Then, at last,the giant groaned, gritted her teeth, and then squatted in the snow.

Another monster had been born. Sigyn recoiled at the sight of the body that emerged from Angrboda's flesh. It was more than an arm span long, but without any limbs at all. Its body was in the narrow, tapered shape of a serpent, but it had pale, almost translucent skin. Angrboda laughed as her child wound itself around her forearm and closed its gray lips around her breast. She allowed it to suckle for several moments before she ripped it away. Its mouth was stained a gory red. It had been feeding on blood instead of milk.

The witch laughed at the sight and gave her offspring an affectionate pat. Then, without further attention, she flung the beast into the pit and squatted into the snow again.

The second babe to emerge from Angrboda's womb was in the ordinary shape of a wolf. Sigyn watched as the mother turned the child over in her hands. No doubt it would grow to be as fearsome of the rest of her wild pack, but it was nothing but a harmless pup for now. With a hiss of disgust, she tossed it into the snow and then bore down yet again.

The third birth was the hardest. Angrboda labored until pale rays of sun began to peek through the clouds. Then, at last, a third body fell onto the ground, half-way buried in the snow.

The tiny, heart-breaking wail of a newborn baby girl carried on the wind. Despite the pain of watching another woman bear Loki's children, Sigyn couldn't stop the feeling of tenderness that rose in her chest at the sound. She looked closer. In the soft light of dawn, she could see that the baby's head sported tufts of thick black hair. _Just like Loki's hair_ , Sigyn thought with a bittersweet smile. She couldn't be certain, but she imagined that the girl would have bright green eyes like her father too.

Sigyn had already started imagining father and daughter together when Angrboda scooped her daughter off of the ground. Sigyn jolted in terror. The side of the baby that Sigyn had seen was pale and perfect and new- but the other half of the baby was black, as withered and still as a corpse.

An evil smile spread across Angrboda's face as she looked down at the child. "Ah, my sweet, Hel!" she said in a raspy purr. "The greatest of my children...finally, you have come!"

Sigyn held her breath as the witch continued speaking: "I knew that Dark Spirits would honor my sacrifice and that you would join me at last. Daughter of a Prince…born to be a queen. Go now to your people and wait for my command…"

Angrboda reached into the folds of her discarded dress and drew out a dagger. She kissed the baby tenderly on her head. Then, without warning, she plunged the dagger into the child's chest.

Sigyn couldn't contain a terrified "yip". Luckily, the rumbles and screams from the pit drowned out the sound.

The witch took a moment to tend to her own body, healing the effects of the birth. She whispered an incantation, returning to the form Sigyn knew. Angrboda pulled on her dress and cloak and then disappeared back in the direction of the cottage as if nothing were amiss.

" _We should go now_ ," Grevis said.

Sigyn nodded, but wasn't able to rip her eyes away from the horrific scene that she had witnessed. She saw Hel's body, completely still now, discarded on the ground. She saw the yawning mouth of the pit. Finally, her eyes alighted on the wolf-pup. It was still alive- although it wouldn't be for long from the looks of its shivering.

" _What will happen to the wolf_?" Sigyn asked.

" _The others may come and take him_."

" _And if they don't_?" Sigyn couldn't imagine the black wolf's pack taking care of a child.

Grevis was matter of fact. " _Then it will die_." He turned to go and looked back over his shoulder when Sigyn didn't join him. " _Don't._ "

Sigyn ignored him. She might have the body of a wolf, but she still had a woman's heart. She couldn't let any child- much less a child of Loki- die alone in the snow.

Sigyn picked her way carefully down the face of the cliff, calling on the balance and skill that she had learned at Noatun. When she reached the bottom, she made her way to the pup. He was so cold that he wasn't moving and flakes of snow had started sticking to his skin. Sigyn sank onto the ground beside him, wrapping her body around him for warmth the same way that his father had once done for her.

" _You're safe, little one_ ," she whispered.

The wolf couldn't answer in words. In her mind, she felt a flash of his fear and loneliness and her heart softened further. " _It's okay…"_ she continued to soothe him. " _I have you now_ …" she paused to think of a name. " _Fenrir,"_ she finally decided.

She didn't know if the animal liked his name or not. His only response was to whimper and burrow deeper into her fur. He squirmed for a while, but eventually fell asleep. Sigyn knew that they couldn't remain in the open for long, but she decided to allow him a little while to gather his strength before she carried him back to her den.

Sigyn remained awake. Her senses were on full alert for signs that the other pack was approaching. She sniffed the air, strained her ears, and carefully scanned the horizon. Her eyes rested on Hel's discarded corpse and she thought back to Skion and her first day as a wolf. She remembered how the warrior's body had finally regained his form when he fell under the shadow of death. Sigyn drew a grain of comfort from the certainty that, at least in her final moments, she would be free of Angrboda's power.

Sigyn mulled on this macabre idea for just a moment, and then glanced at the pit again. Her body jolted in shock.

She finally knew how to save Loki.


	16. Escape

* * *

It was mid-morning before Angrboda returned to the cottage. Loki had used every second of his freedom to scour the house from top to bottom for clues about the sorceress's motives and, more importantly, a way to escape. Unfortunately, he came up empty. The silver whistle that controlled the wolves was not on its hook and the door to Angrboda's storeroom was locked and warded with a spell that Loki could not defeat.

Angrboda gave no hint of where she had been, but her exhaustion was clear on her face.

"There is no need to practice magic today, dearest," Loki said, forcing himself to speak the term of endearment. "Let me prepare a sleeping potion and put you to bed."

Loki hoped for admission to the storeroom- but his attempt was thwarted. Angrboda smiled a sweet smile at his suggestion and nodded her head. "We should both get some rest," she told him. Reaching into a cabinet, she retrieved a dram that had already been prepared and a pair of cups. "Come, my love" she told him and pulled him toward the stairs.

Loki only pretended to drink the potion. He was glad that Angrboda didn't examine his glass too closely. The glamor that he had used to conceal the liquid that remained in the vessel was crude and he would have been discovered if any had spilled. For once, she didn't ask any questions. She swallowed her own medicine quickly, and her lovely eyes were already growing heavy as she led him to the bed.

A chill rushed over Loki's body as he slid between the sheets and brushed against Angrboda's skin. He was careful not to give her a sign that anything was amiss. He brushed a kiss against her temple and wrapped his arm around his waist. He drew her body flush against his own and listened for signs that she had fallen asleep. His mind drifted as he waited. He thought of all the other times that they had curled together like this. Then, in a flash, another memory returned.

 _Sigyn_. Once again, the name returned to Loki's mind. With it came the recollection of a night spent in a dwarfish palace. He remembered how her little body fitted perfectly to his, the smell of her skin, and the sound of her breath…

Loki let his mind wander freely and was rewarded as more and more of the past returned. He had _not_ come from Asgard with Angrboda. That was clear now. Sigyn had shown him the path through the nine realms. Sigyn had taken him to Vanaheim. Sigyn had helped him take the Azimuth from Hambli. Sigyn had come with him to Angrboda's cottage.

Loki's blood ran cold in his veins when he finally remembered leaving Sigyn at her bedroom door.

" _Don't be a child, Sigyn!_ " his words came back to haunt him now. He shut the door behind her and then she had simply disappeared _._ As much as he struggled to remember, there was simply no hint of where the princess had gone.

As soon as Angrboda was asleep, Loki seized the opportunity to ease his arm out from under her body and to get up out of bed. He moved very carefully, avoiding every creaky floorboard,worried that she would awaken at any moment. His fears appeared unfounded. Angrboda continued to slumber as he walked to the table, picked up their cups, and carried them down to the kitchen.

He started to empty the contents of his still-full glass, but thought better of it. The ward on the storeroom made it clear that the enchantress did not trust him with potion ingredients, and he didn't know when a sleeping draught might come in handy. He searched until he found the flask that Angrboda had used, poured the potion back inside, and then hid it inside a decorative vase.

Because Angrboda was still asleep, Loki took the opportunity to continue his search of the house. His first action was to search the room where Sigyn had slept, but there was nothing amiss. The room appeared dusty and unused. Rummaging through the rest of the house was fruitless as well. The whistle had not been returned to its hook. He realized, with annoyance, that it was on a chain around the woman's neck.

Angrboda awoke in the late afternoon and they carried on with their usual domestic routine. The habits that had been comforting and even charming a few days before now set Loki's teeth on edge. It took all of his control to remember to smile and laugh at the woman's remarks now that he knew it was all a farce.

The next day passed in much the same manner as all the rest since he had come to the cottage. Angrboda awoke with a smile on her lovely lips and offered Loki her body before they went down to breakfast. She arched a brow when he politely declined.

"You're still unwell, my love," he murmured in excuse- and noted that she didn't fight him.

They had their morning meal, and then went to work with the Azimuth, as usual.

"Ask the Azimuth about the vulnerabilities of Odin's treasure vault," she commanded.

Loki did as he was told. There was a familiar pause and then the voice rang out in his head. " _The guards who monitor the treasures may not be trusted. The defenses may not hold if these two yield."_

He obediently parroted back the answer to Angrboda but, when asked to elaborate, he lied. "I know that is true of his _main_ treasure vault," Loki announced, "But, of course, most of those relics are decoys…The true relics are kept in my father's room in the center tower."

He watched Angrboda's face very closely. She held her features very still, but he saw her pupils widen in surprise and a twitch at the edge of her lips. "How…very clever," she said in a neutral voice. "In his chamber, you say? I doubt that anyone would think to look there."

She was silent for a moment before prompting a second question. "Ask the Azimuth if anyone else knows that they are there."

Loki nodded his head- but this time he did not obey. " _Where is Lady Sigyn?"_ he thought, instead.

Angrboda's features darkened. "Why did you ask that?" she spat.

Loki's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What are you talking about?" he asked, defensively. "I asked the question you told me to!"

Angrboda opened her mouth to say something else, but seemed to think better of it.

The delay before the Azimuth's answer took a few seconds longer than usual, but it finally arrived. " _She is in Asgard with her new fiancé, Theoric."_

Loki felt as if he had been punched in the gut. _Sigyn was in Asgard? She was engaged?  
_

"What did it say?" Angrboda interrupted his self-torture.

Loki struggled to hold his countenance as he answered. "It…said that my mother and my brother Thor both know," he lied.

Angrboda narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but didn't press him.

"I think that's enough for today," she announced abruptly, and then changed the topic. She began chattering about a book of spells and didn't mention the Azimuth again.

That night, she offered him a double draught of potion. Once again, Loki was able to hide his refusal to drink.

They climbed into bed together and Angrboda blew out the lamp.

"Loki?" her voice carried through the darkness. "Why did you ask where Sigyn was?"

Loki sucked in his breath. Angrboda _knew_ what he had asked? The implications of this discovery reared large in his mind. If Angrboda knew _kahalan_ could she put things in his mind as well?

"Who?" he asked, managing to feign innocence, but his mind was reeling. Pieces were quickly falling into place, and his determination to escape grew stronger.

 _But how?_ Every day, the task seemed more and more impossible. Angrboda continued to simper and smile and play the part of a doting wife, but Loki slowly began to understand that he was a prisoner in her home. Every request to leave the cottage was met by an excuse, every attempt to use the storeroom on his own was blocked, every question to the Azimuth was carefully scripted.

One morning, Loki decided to put his theory about the Azimuth to a test. Angrboda opened her mouth to suggest a question, but Loki spoke first.

"I think I should ask if Odin's relics are secure," he said. "They are too valuable to leave unprotected.

Angrboda appeared delighted with the question. She nodded her head in acquiescence. Loki closed his eyes and asked.

There was a pause, and then the answer:

" _The relics in your father's chamber are at risk...your mother and Thor may not hold their tongues."_

He fought the urge to smile with satisfaction as he listened to the voice repeat the false information from the day before. He realized, at last, that the crown was merely parroting back details that it had gleaned from _him_.

"I have a second question," Loki said slowly, after he repeated the crown's words to his companion.

Angrboda nodded eagerly. "Yes?"

"How do we know that this is the true Azimuth?" Loki asked calmly. "It is said that the crown vanished into the bottomless sea."

"Why, what a silly question!" the enchantress answered. She plucked the crown out of Loki's hands. "Remember what happened to King Salkin. The crown isn't getting heavy yet- you don't want to waste its power on things that don't matter."

"Why doesn't it matter?" Loki pressed.

The woman remained unruffled, "Because, it _was_ found and we have it now- it doesn't matter at all how it came to us. It simply did...Don't trouble yourself, my darling." She dabbed a kiss on the tip of his nose. "Why don't you relax for a while- you've been working awfully hard."

Loki snorted. "We haven't done anything at all!" He shot Angrboda a sidelong glance. "I'm going crazy cooped up inside this house- how much longer until we march on Asgard?"

"Soon," she promised.

"What is our plan of attack?"

"You don't need to trouble yourself with that, my love."

"But I want to know!"

Finally, the sorceress's beautiful facade showed signs of strain. She ignored his question and said, instead: "My, but you are in quite a mood this afternoon!" she tutted. "What can I do to put you back to rights?"

Loki simply scowled in response.

Undeterred, Angrboda waltzed to the staircase. "I know what would soothe you, my love," she said. "How about a nice, hot bath?"

Loki's initial response was to scrunch up his nose in distaste, but then he was struck by an idea. "Perhaps..." he said slowly. "How big is your tub?"

Angrboda looked confused. "Why- how large do you wish it to be?"

"Big enough for two?" he suggested with a dark smile.

Angrboda's lips curled up in answer. "That could be arranged," she purred back.

"Good."

Loki motioned for her to continue up the staircase. "Why don't you go and draw it? I'll fetch a few glasses of wine."

He couldn't help but notice the way that Angrboda glanced warily in the direction of the storeroom- or the way that the lock clicked closed by her silent command, but he managed to hold his features in a sultry smile. "I'll hurry," he promised.

Satisfied, Angrboda did as he suggested. She hurried up the stairs. As soon as he heard her footsteps moving overhead, Loki went to the kitchen. He took out two goblets and filled the first with with some dark red wine. He filled the second only half full. Then, retrieving the sleeping potion from the place where he had stashed it, he fulled the second up to its brim.

Loki carried the cups up the stairs, careful to note which was which. He heard Angrboda moving around in the bedroom. When he opened the door, he saw that she had conjured a huge copper tub and had filled it with steaming water. As soon as she caught sight of Loki, she started stripping off her clothes.

"Care to join me?" she growled in invitation when she was standing before him wearing nothing but the whistle on its chain.

"Can't wait..." Loki assured her. He helped Angrboda into the water and then handed her the cup of wine.

Loki caught her eye and lifted his own goblet. "A toast," he proposed in a sultry drawl. "To us!"

"To us!" Angrboda answered with a glittering smile. She copied Loki's next action, lifting the cup to her lip and taking a long, deep gulp. "Mmmm..." she said in appreciation. "Delicious!"

"Yes," Loki answered, trying not to smile as she took another drink...and then another, until she had quickly drained the glass. "More?" he offered, tipping his own drink into her cup.

"Yes, I believe that I..." Angrboda's voice faltered abruptly. Her eyes flashed wide in shock. Then, to Loki's relief, she collapsed into the scented water- totally, soundly asleep.

He had no idea how long the potion would last, but didn't intend to dawdle and find out. He yanked the whistle off of Angrboda's neck and hurried down the stairs.

He didn't gather many belongings. A cloak, a sword and the Azimuth were all that he stopped to take before bounding out into the snow.

Loki remembered Angrboda's words from months before. The road to Asgard was at the mouth of the stream. He prayed that it wasn't far. He ran beside the water, stumbling over loose stones and patches of ice as he followed its course through the woods. He couldn't afford to use his eyes to watch his footing. Instead, he looked constantly from side to side, straining his senses for any sign of the fearsome wolves.

He ran until his breath gave out. Then he slowed his pace to a walk. He didn't dare to stop- not until he reached the safety of the Old Road. He nodded to get to Odin's castle. Loki suspected that Angrboda's lies had tainted every answer that the Azimuth had given- and he highly doubted that Sigyn was safe at home, but he didn't know how he could possibly locate and rescue her on his own.

Lost in his thoughts, Loki didn't immediately notice the large, dark shape looming on the path ahead of him, but he looked up when he heard it's savage, keening cry. His fingers scrambled for the silver whistle and he drew it toward his lips, but faltered before he made a sound.

Loki's mouth went dry at the sight before his eyes.

He didn't know what to call the creature on the road ahead of him- but it certainly wasn't a wolf!


	17. Fire

" _My lady, reconsider! There must be another way!"_ Grevis said fretfully.

" _This is the only way_!"Sigyn replied with a sigh. She had been going over her plan with the other wolf for days on end, but he continued to state objections.

" _But the whistle_ -!"

" _By the time the witch knows what we are doing, it will be too late to use it,_ " Sigyn said firmly. " _We'll lure her away from the house_."

" _But it's dangerous_!"

" _I'm not asking you to be there_!" Sigyn couldn't resist the instinct to take on a menacing growl.

Grevis was undaunted. " _You are the one who should not play a part in it, Your Highness! What if you were hurt…or killed_?"

Sigyn pawed the snow, thoughtful for a moment before she added, " _That will work as well_."

Beside her, Fenrir whimpered for attention.

The cub had been her constant shadow since she had rescued him a few weeks before. At first, she expected him to die, since she had no way of obtaining milk, and he was very tiny. To her surprise and relief, he took instantly to meat. Rather than withering away, he was thriving. The little wolfling was already three times as large as when she had found him. At his current rate, Sigyn fully expected him to grow larger than her before winter came again.

For the time being, however, Fenrir was still a kinetic little bundle of curiosity and fur. He lacked the understanding of adult conversation, as well as the patience to sit quietly until they were done. He whined again. When he didn't get a response, he nipped at the pendant hung around Sigyn's neck.

If Sigyn were still human, she would have emitted a very long suffering sigh. As it was, she spared a moment to swipe her tongue across Fenrir's face and then gently nudge him in the direction of trailing branch on a nearby tree. A few blue leaves were bouncing in the wind. As she hoped, they instantly captured the puppy's attention, leaving Sigyn to finish her conversation in peace.

Grevis watched Sigyn's interaction with the youngster. Then, when he had her attention again, he made a final plea.

" _Just be patient a little while longer_!" He urged. " _I'm certain that-_ "

" _Don't you want it to be over?"_

Grevis blinked at Sigyn's interruption. He was quiet for a long moment and finally dipped his head.

" _Yes, Your Highness_ ," he admitted at last. " _I want it to be over…one way or another_."

" _Then you know what we must do_."

A heavy silence fell between them. Sigyn turned her head away, focusing her attention on Fenrir's clumsy attempts to pounce on the swaying branch. She envied his innocence. He was completely unaware of what was about to come, of what had come before, and how much they had to lose.

" _I will understand if the others don't wish to take the risk_ ," Sigyn said. " _They can hide in the dens on the far side of the forest. Even if the witch uses her whistle, it is too far to run to her before the danger is past."_

Grevis stiffened his posture. If it were possible, the wolf looked offended. " _We are warriors of the Nine Realms, my lady_ ," he said, stiffly. " _None of us will shy from the call of duty."_

" _Gather them then_ ," Sigyn told him, anxious to strike while they both held their nerve. " _We will move tonight._ "

Grevis tossed his head in agreement. " _We will meet you on the ridge when the moon rises above the trees_."

" _Go now_."

Sigyn watched the silver wolf disappear and then returned her attention to Fenrir. She tried calling to him and, when he failed to pay attention, finally picked him up by the scruff of his neck and carried him through the woods.

Her destination wasn't far away.

She shivered as the eerie howls and hoots of the creatures in Angrboda's pit carried through the darkness. Fenrir whimpered in fright, but she dropped him into the snow and licked his back until he was soothed. She nudged him into a hollowed out tree and left him to paw at beetles crawling between the roots while she hunted a rabbit for their evening meal.

Sigyn didn't manage more than a few bites of meat for herself. She laid the rest inside the tree trunk with Fenrir and then pushed him back into the darkness.

" _You have to stay here, Fenrir_ ," she said firmly.

The puppy didn't answer. He cocked his head to the side and stared up at her with his strange green eyes, but gave no indication that he understood.

" _You'll be safe_ ," Sigyn promised, reassuring herself, even if the cub could not understand her. " _It will only take a minute…and then I'll be back to fetch you. You will get meet Loki soon- won't you like that?"_

Fenrir quit paying attention. He curled up next the rabbit carcass. His ears flattened and his pink tongue curled as he yawned and then closed his eyes.

" _Sleep well_ ," Sigyn whispered tenderly. She watched him for a few moments before she remembered herself and went to work.

Sigyn hunted among the roots of the tree for stones to lay across the entrance. When she couldn't find enough, she began to dig in the hard dirt, using the soil to wall up Fenrir's hiding place. Unfortunately, the gouge in the soil and the pile of rocks was rather obvious, but she was more concerned with keeping the puppy inside- and out of mischief- than hiding him from passersby.

When she had done the best that she could manage, Sigyn trotted to the ridge overlooking the pit to wait for the others. It wasn't long before the pale crescent of moon began to climb the night sky, filling the forest with silvery light. One by one, the other wolves of her pack came to join her.

When everyone had gathered, Grevis walked to the center of the group. His kahalan was the strongest and so he explained the plan. The other wolves nodded their understanding and then followed Sigyn down the cliff to the pit. They skirted along the edge and then veered back into the forest where she led them to her find: a long hollowed out log that had fallen across the path.

Sigyn walked up to the tree and pressed her snout against the wood, demonstrating the technique that the other wolves had used to roll her into the lake on the first day of her transformation. The others took their place at her side and, acting together, they began to move it into place.

The work was painfully slow. Even acting in concert, the wolves had barely enough strength to move the massive log. They pushed and struggled for more than an hour before the path started to slope and the log began to roll on its own.

Sigyn yipped in warning as the tree began to pick up speed.

" _Get out ahead of it!"_ she cried, but it was too late. The trail dipped sharply and the log barreled out of control.

Sigyn held her breath as the tree hurtled toward the pit. It smashed against Angrboda's lean-to and then jack-knifed into the void.

A howl of frustration rose in Sigyn's throat. It had taken weeks to find the log and prepare it for their purposes. Who knew how much longer it would be before she could find another? Sigyn was about to declare the experiment a failure and send the others away when one of the wolves at the edge of their group fell back in a crouch and barred his teeth.

She glanced up to see what was the matter and then froze.

The plan had worked after all. The log had landed against the wall of the pit, and one of the monsters used it as a ladder to scramble out.

The wolves retreated to the top of the ridge before they dared to turn around and watch.

There wasn't any name for the abomination that climbed out of the ground. It was as red as blood, with a long, sinewy body, six legs and a spiked tail. Behind it, a small blue creature with spindly legs and razor-sharp claws staggered onto the snow, and that was followed by an enormous serpent which might have been the one Sigyn saw before- only it was now four lengths of a man!

A few of the wolves bolted in fright, but Sigyn held her ground, watching as three more monsters crawled their way to freedom. But then something happened that she did not expect. From her vantage point high above, she saw a giant, man-like creature take the tree trunk in his grasp. He lifted it as though it weighed nothing at all and swung it like a club. A cry of consternation went up in the hole as the crude weapon crashed into scales and flesh. A few of the creatures went flying, bloody and crushed, and then he swung the tree again.

The wood smashed against the heavy iron chain which held down a motley dragon. The ancient metal groaned and then snapped as the creature beat its atrophied wings in a bid to escape. The broken shackle clanged against the rock wall and the dragon found just enough power to rise up out of its cage.

The dragon teetered on the edge of the chasm. It looked so frail and ragged that Sigyn thought it might fall back in- but the taste of freedom seemed to give it strength. It reared back its scaly head and breathed a plume of fire into the trees.

The leathery blue leaves of the great trees resisted the first assault, but a second puff of flames caused them to smolder. The remaining wolves began to scatter in earnest as the canopy began to ignite. Sigyn acted on instinct, following her body's impulse to simply get away. She ran for several minutes before she realized that she had to turn back.

" _Fenrir_!" Sigyn cried out, remembering that she had left the puppy tucked in the trunk of a tree. He was trapped and would surely be roasted alive if she didn't go back to save him.

" _Leave him!_ " Grevis pleaded, but Sigyn didn't listen. She wheeled around and headed back to the ridge.

Fire was uncommon in the Ironwood and it spread quickly. Sigyn tried to go back the way that she had come but a wall of flames blocked her path. She looped around headed toward the stream, hoping that the water would stem the progress of the flames. She hopped onto the path that followed the course, and continued half a mile before she skidded to a stop. The path was blocked by one of the monsters. Behind him was a man.

 _No, not just a man_! Sigyn's heart beat faster as she placed the face. _It was Loki!_

She cried out his name through the _kahalan_ \- but she managed it just a moment too late. Loki had already spied her and- from his actions- misread her approach as an attack! The silver whistle was at his lips. Sigyn wanted to bound forward to his side, but her body was beholden to the witch's magic and the whistle's command to fight the monster instead.

" _No! Please_!" Sigyn forced the words out, even as she advanced on the beast, teeth barred. It was the first monster that escaped. It held its scarlet body to the ground and menaced her with its long, barbed tail.

" _Loki, it's me! Don't make me do this_!" Sigyn's skill in _kahalan_ had improved enough to send the message, even though she was no longer in control.

The monster attacked. It cracked its tail like a whip, landing a blow against Sigyn's ribs. She howled in pain and backed away, but the magic propelled her forward again. She pounced and snarled.

" _Loki! Please! It's me_!"

"Sigyn?" the word was almost a whisper, but the magical grip on Sigyn's muscles suddenly released. She slumped to the ground and barely missed another vicious lash of the creature's deadly tail.

" _Run!"_ she called out to Loki, sprinting past him. She hoped that he would follow. She was only a few steps from Fenrir's tree. It was caught between the monster and the flames.

She glanced backwards and saw that the monster was advancing on Loki now that she was gone. She felt a flicker concern as the beast arched its tail to strike, but there were two quick flashes of green light and Loki's throwing knives took the creature to the ground.

Sigyn started digging. She could hear Fenrir crying behind the stones.

" _Don't worry_!" she called out. " _I almost have you_!"

"Sigyn!" Loki knelt in the snow beside her. "What are you doing?"

There wasn't time to explain. " _Angrboda did this,"_ Sigyn said, " _You have to get back to Asgard. Hurry! The monsters are loose and the fire is spreading. Bring back help! You have to tell them-"_

"STOP!"

Loki and Sigyn stiffened as Angrboda's voice boomed through the clearing.

They both looked up to see the witch gliding along the path, flanked by the black wolf and his companions. She moved very carefully toward Loki.

"What are you doing, my love?" she said, but without as much sweetness as usual. "The woods aren't safe tonight. Some of my pets have escaped. Give me the whistle and we-"

"Never!" Loki hissed back. He raised the whistle to his lips and blew hard.

_ATTACK!_

Loki commanded the wolves to obey him. He seemed to have forgotten that Sigyn was just as beholden to the charm as the rest. The beasts fell upon the sorceress and Sigyn joined in the scrum. She clamped her jaw around a slim white ankle and bit hard, gratified to taste warm blood. Angrboda's shrieked in fury as the wolves dragged her to the ground, but before they could subdue her completely, there was a flash of blue light as Angrboda transformed back into a giant.

Loki staggered back in shock and horror as he saw his lover in her true form.

With her massive size and strength, the frost giant was a ready match for the wolves. She shook them off of her neck and arms with ease and then grabbed Sigyn by the fur on her back.

"Little fool!" she roared with malice and then flung the white wolf against a tree with all her might.

Sigyn slammed hard against the trunk. There was a loud snapping sound, but she didn't feel any pain. She didn't even feel the snow beneath her fur as she slumped to the ground in a boneless heap. Her vision was dim and blurry. It was as if she was standing outside of her body as she watched the rest of the scene unfold.

Angrboda lumbered toward Loki, forcing him back toward the wall of flame.

"Give me the whistle!" she demanded.

"No!" he called back in defiance. Loki dug the Azimuth out of his pack and held it to his side. "Stand back!" he told her. "Stand back or I'll smash it!"

Angrboda's long, jagged teeth gleamed in the moonlight as she laughed. "Do you really think that I care?" she hissed.

A bolt of blue ice shot from her hands, shattering the crown into a million pieces. Glittering shards grazed Loki's skin before landing to glitter among the ice.

"God of lies…" the giantess smirked in derision. "You were the easiest to deceive of all!" She gave Loki another terrible smile, her voice silky as she continued to ease forward. "You know that I was fond of you though." She purred."We could have ruled together."

"No!" Loki shook his head firmly, as though he was ridding his mind of her words. He took another step backwards, so close to the fire that the flames singed the cloth of his cloak and then blew the whistle again.

The wolves that could still move rallied. A few of Sigyn's pack had managed to circle back by now and they all attacked en masse. They jumped onto the giantess's back. She struggled for a moment before she forced them off again.

"You can't have them fight me forever!" she taunted, stepping free.

"No," Loki admitted, "But they won't have to." He lifted one of his hands. A ball of green fire grew in his palm and he smirked, threatening the witch with his magic. Angrboda's eyes widened in confusion, but then her gaze hardened. She didn't wait to see what he was about to do.

Angrboda lunged forward.

Sigyn caught her breath and braced herself to watch the giant tackle Loki into the fire, but that didn't happen. At the last possible instant, Loki's body dissolved into a cloud of sparkles. Without any obstacle in her path, the sorceress tumbled headfirst into the blaze.

Angrboda howled in pain and fury as her long, matted locks caught flame and the inferno scarred her skin. She tried to stumble out of the fire, but Loki raised the whistle again. The wolves barred every attempt to escape. The witch roared and thrashed as her body burned, but there wasn't any way escape. With a final curse, she slumped to the ground and her body dissolved into a swirl of ash.

For a moment, the only sound in the clearing was the hiss and pop of burning wood, but the silence was quickly broken by Loki's voice.

"Sigyn? Sigyn!"

She tried to turn toward Loki's approach, but her body refused to move. Fenrir was lapping her face. Sigyn smiled when she saw that he was safe. His fur was dirty and singed, but he appeared in good spirits. The puppy growled as Loki's footsteps approached and then yipped in consternation as he was shoved aside.

Loki knelt in the snow beside Sigyn and his fingers brushed her face. From the corner of her eye, she saw that he was holding a woman's hand. My hand? Sigyn wondered, but she couldn't feel her fingertips. She couldn't feel anything but the wind on her face and the temptation to succumb to the darkness again.

"Sigyn! Talk to me!" Loki's voice was raw. There was a look of agitation in his bright green eyes that she had never seen before.

She wanted to answer. She tried to speak, but her mouth would not obey. She used her mind instead.

" _I love you Loki_ ," she sent through _kahalan_ , and then she closed her eyes.

"What's happening?" Loki's voice seemed muffled and distant. Sigyn felt as if she was moving away. "I don't understand! Why did she turn back before the others? Why isn't she moving?"

The last sound to reach Sigyn's ears was a voice that had been silent for seven hundred years.

"She's dying," Grevis said.

Then everything faded to black.


	18. Home

_I love you, Loki._

Sigyn's eyes were closing. He shook her shoulder, trying to rouse her, but there wasn't any response.

The wolf pup that Loki had brushed aside earlier squeezed back to Sigyn's side. It's small pink tongue lapped miserably against her cheek.

"What's happening?" Loki asked, as though the little one could answer, but the puppy merely whined in response. Loki reached forward to brush its fur when a shadow fell across his shoulder.

Loki spun around, instantly alert to danger. Anxious about Sigyn, he had almost forgotten the threat of the flames and the wolves. A knife was in his hands, ready to fling- but he stilled in shock at the sight that met his eyes.

The giant wolves were gone. Instead, the clearing was filled with men. Most of them were staring in disbelief at their toes and fingers. A few had hobbled unsteadily to their feet. Like Sigyn, their bodies were bare. Wolf pelts lay in the snow beside them. Loki understood, at once, that they had been transfigured by the witch as well.

One of the tallest men advanced toward Loki. Despite his nakedness, he exuded power and wisdom, and there was an unmistakable look of concern in his eyes when he gazed down at Sigyn's broken form.

"I don't understand! Why did she turn back before the others? Why isn't she moving?" Loki couldn't keep his questions inside.

"She's dying," the man answered plainly.

The words stabbed into Loki's heart like shards of broken glass. _Dying!_

Loki's first sensation was a wave of panic and hopelessness- but it was quickly replaced by fury.

He would _not_ let this happen. He and Sigyn had come too far and overcome too much for their journey to end like this.

"No!" he said, defiantly. "I'll save her!"

"How?" the man asked.

"I'll take her to the healing room."

"In Asgard?" a look of wild hope transformed the stranger's face. "You know the way?"

"Yes," Loki answered with more confidence than he felt. Angrboda had once mentioned the location of the pathway. In light of her deceptions, it seemed futile to hope that she hadn't lied about this as well- but hope was all that remained. "At the mouth of the stream," Loki told the other man. "Will you come with me?"

"My men cannot travel far away from the fire without boots and clothing," the man answered, "But we will follow as far as we can- and do our best to keep the monsters at bay."

Loki gathered Sigyn's body into his arms and hurried to the stream. He was vaguely aware of the puppy following in his wake, but he couldn't spare the time to shoo it away.

The fire had continued to spread. It was so hot and voracious that it had jumped across the water to blaze on the opposite bank. It popped and hissed and crackled all around. Flaming branches teetered precariously overhead. Angrboda's monsters screeched and howled, but Loki did not slow his steps. He doggedly picked his way through the gauntlet of danger, ignoring everything except the path ahead.

It wasn't long before the trail grew steep and slippery. Although Sigyn weighed no more than a child, Loki's arms were growing tired. He almost lost his grip as he stumbled over a patch of ice. He struggled up a narrow gully and then scanned his surroundings in dismay. The mountainside was covered in a uniform blanket of snow.

He had lost the trail.

"NO!" Loki screamed in frustration. He paced back and forth, trying to figure out where he had gone wrong. He returned to the gully, finding the last icy rivulet of the stream and pushed all of the snow aside to see where he had gone wrong, but it wasn't any use. The source of the stream must be a spring at the top of the ditch- and there was no question that it was too small to go inside. The pathway to Asgard wasn't there.

Despair sapped the last of Loki's strength. He dropped to his knees. The wolfskin was still wrapped around Sigyn's body, but he covered her in his cloak as well for added warmth.

Somehow, the puppy had managed to keep up during the race through the woods. It nuzzled Sigyn and then looked up at Loki with sad green eyes.

"I'm sorry," Loki said, more to himself than the wolfling. "I'm so sorry..."

Sigyn's breathing had grown very slow and her skin was icy cold. Loki reached forward to readjust her coverings, but his hand stilled when he noticed the necklace that was still hung around Sigyn's neck.

 _A_ _shard_ _of_ _the_ _Azimuth_ , Loki thought as anger boiled up in his chest again, _the_ _shard_ _that_ _didn't_ _fit_ _into_ _Angrboda's_ _cursed_ _crown_. If not for this silly piece of glass, they never would have started on their doomed quest! His fingers tightened angrily around the crystal intending the jerk the pendant off of Sigyn's neck, but then he felt something very strange.

The shard became very warm in his hand and an image flashed inside his mind. There weren't any words- just a feeling, urging him to look at the puppy. Loki obeyed, watching the animal sniff at the ground. It dug at the base of a nearby tree. Then, with a quiet "yip" and a muffled thump, it disappeared.

"Hey!" Loki cried out. Abandoning Sigyn for just a moment, he scrambled to his feet and went to investigate. He arrived just as the puppy dragged himself out of a large hole that he had exposed beneath the roots of the tree.

Loki paid heed to the puppy for only a second before his attention was distracted by a pale pink mist drifting out of the pit.

Relief surged through Loki's body and a jolt of adrenaline renewed his strength as he scooped up Sigyn's lifeless body and jumped into the void with the puppy close on his heels.

Loki took a few steps in total darkness, save the mist at their feet. He had no idea how long the trail would stretch on, but felt a flare of hope when he noticed flickering torchlight. As they grew closer, he began to notice that they were not inside a cave but, instead, in an arched hallway with smooth, shiny walls made of solid gold. The hallway ended at a silver door. Loki pushed it open and then blinked as he stepped into the light.

It took only a second for Loki to get his bearings. He was in the royal palace- in one of the unused courtyards where he and Thor had played hide and seek as boys. The silver door was behind a row of high hedges, completely hidden from view. He doubted that anyone had noticed it before. Loki didn't take the time to ponder the mystery of the door. He hurried out of the garden. It didn't take long to find the hallway- and a pair of Royal Guards.

"Help me!" Loki commanded.

The men turned and blinked at him in shock. To their credit, however, they didn't hesitate to obey his command.

"To the healing room!" Loki said as he reluctantly surrendered his burden. He prayed that it wasn't too late.

* * *

Sigyn awoke very slowly, keeping her eyes closed as she uncurled her arms and stretched her back. It still felt novel to inhabit a human body- so she was disturbed to discover that she couldn't move her legs.

Her eyes snapped open in alarm, but her expression quickly morphed into an exasperated smile.

" _Fenris_!" Sigyn sighed when she discovered that the wolf was laying lengthwise across the bed, pinning her legs in place.

He wagged his tail in reply and squirmed his way up the bed. Sigyn squealed and struggled to push him away when he started to lick her face. Although it was only a few weeks since their return from Jotunheim, the puppy had easily quadrupled in size. He weighed as much as Sigyn now and his growth didn't show any signs of stopping soon! She wouldn't be allowed to keep him in the palace much longer. For the time being, however, she was grateful for his company.

Sigyn had been near death for almost a week. When she first awoke, she had far more company than she could handle. Njord came to express his concern. Sigyn's sisters fluttered in to inform her of the gossip spreading about Sigyn and the Prince. The King and Queen came to pay their respects. Grevis and his warriors visited to offer their thanks- even Freyja lingered by Sigyn's bedside for a few days to play at motherly concern!

Very soon, however, the visits tapered off and life in the healing rooms became painfully boring. Sigyn read more books than she could count and managed to needlepoint almost an entire new tapestry. Still, she was in no hurry to return home. After she went back to Noatun, she would miss the best part of her day!

Sigyn nibbled at her breakfast and crawled out of bed to don a new nightgown and brush out her hair. A wary looking valet took Fenris for a walk. Sigyn worked at her sewing until lunch time, ate her midday meal and then amused herself by making sketches of some of the sights that she and Loki had seen on their trip. Every few moments, however, her gaze would slip to the clock on the wall. She couldn't help counting down the hours- and then the minutes- until trumpets sounded outside her window, signaling that Court was concluded for the day. After that, she gave up any pretense of industry and simply kept her eyes on the door until Loki appeared.

He visited every evening after his father dismissed him- and tonight was no exception.

"Have you missed me?" Loki asked as he slipped inside the chamber. The arrogant smile on his lips implied the answer.

"No," Sigyn teased, well-aware that the glow on her face would betray the lie. She made room on the bed for Loki to perch on the mattress beside her and then cast a curious glance at the parcel tucked under his arm. "What is that?" she prodded. "Did you bring me a present?"

"What have you done to deserve a present?" Loki demanded.

Sigyn met his challenge. "Well...I showed you the paths between worlds, I helped you win a bet against an odious dwarf, I saved you from an evil witch, I-"

"Very well," Loki said, interrupting the recitation. " _Perhaps_ I did pick up something." He laid the bundle in Sigyn's lap.

Sigyn's eyes sparkled as she tugged at a ribbon that held the package closed. She peeled away the silk wrapping and then gasped in delighted surprise as she discovered a regal cloak.

Sigyn slipped out of bed to drape the garment around her shoulders and to admire herself in the looking glass. The gift was easily the most elegant article of clothing that she had ever owned. It was fashioned of snowy velvet, lined in silk and embroidered with silver thread. The collar was trimmed with pure white fur. She tilted her cheek into the soft pile and then blinked in surprise as a sudden sense of familiarity overtook her.

"It this-?"

"Yes," Loki laughed, reaching over to stroke his own hand against the same pelt that he had once wrapped around Sigyn's naked body. "A reminder."

"As if I could possibly forget!"

Loki shrugged, "We're going to live a very long time." He fastened the silver clasp around Sigyn's neck and stood behind her as they gazed in the mirror. "Do you like it?"

"I love it!" Sigyn assured him.

"Good," Loki said. "Perhaps you'd like to try it out? We could take a walk?"

"I think I learned my lesson about taking walks with you, Loki Odinsson."

He offered his arm, confident that she would not refuse him despite her words. "No caves this time- I promise!"

Sigyn didn't play at arguing any further. They walked outside of the healing rooms into a terrace garden that overlooked the sea.

The healing rooms were in the upper floors of the palace. Looking down, it seemed as if all of Asgard was spread below. Sigyn and Loki gazed down in silence for a while, watching the ant-like figures of men and horses negotiating the streets beneath them.

"The healers tell me that you are almost well," Loki said.

Sigyn nodded her head. "Yes...I have only a few more days in their care before I go back to Noatun." She looked up, studying Loki's face, trying to find a sign that he found this prospect as disappointing as she did, but his expression was unreadable.

"Have you enjoyed your time here?" he asked.

"Yes- very much! I'm very grateful for what you've done..."

Loki shrugged the compliment aside. "My father-" he began, but Sigyn interrupted.

"I mean...I never thanked you for saving my life...and..." Sigyn blushed, "For giving me my adventure." Sigyn looked down at her hands, unable to face him as she asked her next question. "Did your father punish you? It was only two weeks in Asgard time that we were gone, but still- !"

Sigyn fell silent as Loki laid his finger across her lips. "It was fine," he assured her. "I sealed the passage to Jotunheim from Asgard's side so that none of the monsters can break through. No one knows that it is there save you and I- and I told father all of the weaknesses that I revealed to Angrboda so that they could be shored up."

"So, he wasn't angry?"

Loki smirked, "You wouldn't believe how mild this is compared to some of the things that my brother has done."

"So all is well."

"Yes. Except..."

Sigyn heard the hesitation in Loki's voice and cast him a curious look.

"What's that?"

Loki answered with a wicked smile. He slipped his finger underneath Sigyn's chin and tilted her face toward his. "I believe I was interrupted the last time I tried this..." he whispered.

Any reply Sigyn might have intended was smothered beneath a heavy kiss.

**THE END**


End file.
